The Bodlein String Quartet to kick off their Egypt tour

CAIRO – 17 September 2017: The Bodlein String Quartet from the University of Oxford will be performing exclusively at 3elbt Alwan on September 23 to kick off their Egypt tour.

Joined by genius violinist Megumi Saruhashi and vocalist Ahmad al-Refaey, the quartet will perform a mixture of Middle Eastern and Western music including a variety of genres including classical, romantic and contemporary.

The group consists of violinist Helena Kaznowska, violinist Sophie Frankford, and cellist Samuel Whitby.

The Bodlein String Quartet will be performing “Adagio and Fugue in C Minor” for Mozart, “Crisantemi” for Puccini, “El Helwa De” for Sayid Darwish, “Ahwak” for Abdel Halim Hafiz, “Alf Lila W Leila” for Umm Kulthoum.


Based in New York, Saruhashi came to Egypt to study the violin with famous violinist Abdu Dagher. Currently, she is a violin teacher at refugee camps across New York and the Middle East.


Kaznowska has been playing the violin since she was three. She regularly performs alongside several orchestras; one of which is the Oxford University Philharmonia.


Frankford is very interested in popular Egyptian music. She came to Cairo to learn Arabic and study Classic Arabic violin with Abdu Dagher.


After graduating from the University of Oxford with a Master’s in Chemistry, Whitby has then performed his debut concert with the Oxford Alternative Orchestra.


Refaey studied medicine at Al-Azhar University. He later became a member of various bands including Samaa Chanting Band and Saleeb Sufi Project.