Naeif Rafeh

Naeif Rafeh is a former member of the Syrian National Symphony, now living in Chicago, IL for over twenty years. Naeif was born in Jaramana, Syria – a village about ten minutes south of Damascus in 1971. He attended the High Institute for Music and Ballet in Damascus, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Music – studying both Western and Arabic music – in 1996. He plays the Nay (Arabic flute), and is considered a virtuoso by his peers and audiences. While attending the institute, he was a member of the Syrian National Symphony – as well as other Middle Eastern orchestras. He played in festivals around the Middle East and Europe, and taught at several academic locations throughout Syria. Naeif is an active performer here in Chicago and is considered one of the most promising Nay players in the Middle East. He plays with other Arab musicians as a member of Chicago Maqam. He is also a successful promotor of Arab music, bringing some of the biggest names in the Middle East to Chicago.