Arab and Jewish musicians are uniting on stage to bridge cultural divides

In a move to promote unity through music, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra's sixpiece Arab and Jewish ensemble, Shesh Besh, is coming to the UK this winter. The visit marks the group's first live shows in England since 2009. As well as performances in Oxford and London, the musicians will visit local schools, where they'll lead assemblies, workshops and small-scale recitals.

Since their founding in 1997 by flautist Yossi Arnheim, the aim of Shesh Besh has been to connect people across divides through discussion, education, cross-cultural sharing and live music. Even their name, according to an interview with Arnheim, comes from a game popular both in the East and the West: backgammon. In Middle Eastern culture it's named after the perfect opening roll of a six (shesh in Hebrew) and a five (besh in Turkish).

For their upcoming shows, the sextet will mine the archives of Middle Eastern and Western classics, as well as playing some original pieces. Expect to hear music by Bach and Bizet, plus traditional Arabic songs such as 'Lamma Bada Yatathanna' (‘When She Begins to Sway'), which dates to the late Middle Ages, and 'Bint al Shalabiya' ('The Girl from Shalab'), a Levantine folk song penned in 1901, for which violinist Sami Kheshaiboun promises a modern twist.

By Danielle Goldstein

Shesh Besh tour to Oxford (9 November) and London (10 November). ipofoundationuk.com

This article appears in the Autumn 2026 issue of JR.