An Introduction to the Kanun, the Versatile Plucked Zither

The kanun, also referred to as qanun, is a type of stringed musical instrument that holds an important place in traditional Middle Eastern and North African music. Its roots can be traced back to an ancient Assyrian instrument with strings that existed in Mesopotamia.

The kanun features a trapezoidal body with a flat top and bottom and a slightly curved back. It is typically equipped with 78 strings stretched over its soundboard. These strings are plucked using small plectra or picks called risha that are affixed to the player’s fingertips.

The kanun is an exceptional and versatile instrument with a bright timbre that enhances the depth and intricacy of numerous musical styles.

Despite the appearance of the term kanun or qānūn in the thirteenth century, the current trapezoidal plucked zither (psaltery) most likely originated in Egypt or Syria during the 18th century. Today, it is distributed throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and certain regions of Asia. The name kanun is derived from the Greek kanōn, which means rule or law. The instrument’s name is spelled in various ways, including kanoon, kanon, ganon, canon, or qanoon.

This instrument has a range of three and a half octaves and can produce a wide variety of sounds and pitches. The playing technique involves rapidly moving the fingers and altering the angle of attack to produce different tonal colors and embellishments. The kanun may be played solo or as part of an ensemble, and it is often used to accompany vocalists or other instruments.

The adjustable levers situated on the oblique side, known as mandal in Turkish and orabe in Arabic, raise the pitch of each triple course of gut or nylon strings. This enables the musician to use various tones, frequently depicted as scales, that correspond to a specific makam, which comprises a melodic pattern paired with stock phrases and ornaments.

The bridge holding the strings is placed on a belly (known as “wajh”), typically constructed from fishskin. When positioned on a small table, the kanun’s 78 strings are plucked with metal plectra attached to the index fingers of the player. Modern-day kanuns are typically larger than the 19th-century model described.

The musician usually sits on a chair and places the kanun on their knees, playing it using small ivory plectra (fingerpicks) attached to the index fingers of both hands. Recently, some musicians have experimented with playing the instrument on a small table to generate a denser sound.

The bass kanun is a type of kanun that has been modified to have lower-pitched bass strings, allowing it to play lower notes and create a fuller sound. It was developed by Armenian musician Ara Gevorgyan in the 2010s and has since gained popularity among musicians in the Middle East and beyond. The bass kanun is played similarly to a traditional kanun, but its additional bass strings require a different playing technique to produce the desired sound.

(headline image: Professional Turkish Kanun MK-123)

Leading kanun players:

Abdullah Chhadeh – Syrian musician and composer who is recognized for his proficiency in playing the kanun. He has recorded several albums and performed at various festivals and venues worldwide, including the BBC Proms in London. Chhadeh’s innovative approach to the kanun has resulted in its redesigning. His work includes adaptations from the Syrian, Turkish, Azerbaijani, and Andalusian musical traditions. Chhadeh has redefined the limits of kanun-playing using advanced playing techniques and incorporating contemporary musical instruments such as guitars and drums into his performances. More about Abdullah Chhadeh.

Ara Topouzian – Armenian-American musician who is recognized for his proficiency at playing the kanun. He was born in 1969 and began playing Middle Eastern and Armenian music professionally in 1991. Topouzian has recorded several albums of traditional Armenian music, and his label, American Recording Productions, is known for its focus on Armenian music.

Aytaç Doğan – Turkish musician who is widely regarded as one of the best kanun players in the world. He was born in Bursa, Turkey, in 1976, and has recorded on numerous albums over the course of his career. Aytaç Doğan is also known for his work as a lecturer, teaching and promoting the understanding of Turkish classical music around the world. He has collaborated with many other musicians in Turkey and beyond, and his work has gained him a wide following among fans of world music.

Daly Triki (Mohamed Ali Triki) – Tunisian kanun virtuoso, composer, and teacher who was born in Sfax in 1986. He obtained a License in fundamental musicology in 2010 and a Master’s degree in music and musicology in 2014. Triki has also established an ensemble called Ensemble Hiwar and performed with various musicians and singers from different countries. In 2009, he won the first prize at the Festival of creation.

Didem Basar – Musician born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1974. She started her music education at I.T.U. Turkish Music State Conservatory and completed her training in kanun before moving on to the Composition Department. She also studied Sufi Music at Marmara University and received her Master’s Degree on the musical analysis of Sufi Music. Didem played in many concerts, recordings, and radio/television programs in Turkey and abroad. She also gave lectures on kanun performance and taught harmonic analysis and music theory at various conservatories in Turkey. She later moved to Montreal and played with various musicians and groups, including the Fenci’s Ensemble and Constantinople. In 2009, she formed Duo Turco with Ismail Fencioglu.

Emad Shakuri – Iranian kanun master who has recorded over 120 albums as a producer and arranger. He has travelled extensively and interacted with different ethnic groups, blending Persian, Kurdish, and Turkish styles in his music. Shakuri plays with all his fingers on both hands and uses different quarter-tone possibilities for creative optionality. He has worked with top singers throughout the Middle East and jazz and fusion artists. Shakuri’s signature is writing for string sections, with a Turkish string section, because they play all styles well.

Farah Fersi – Musician from Tunisia. She has studied music and marketing and holds diplomas in Arabic music and playing the kanun from the national conservatory. Farah has performed in many concerts in Tunisia, Turkey, Kuwait, and Algeria. She also studied the kanun in Turkey with master Göksel Baktagir.

Firas Zreik – Palestinian-born musician based in New York. He has gained worldwide recognition since 2013 as a leader and highly sought-after collaborator. Zreik is a sonic revolutionary who has transformed the perception of the kanun, an instrument that holds a significant place in the maqam tradition. He has collaborated with many renowned musicians, including Roger Waters, Simon Shaheen, and Fabrizio Cassol. Zreik’s music is characterized by a complexity of emotion that shape-shifts throughout his sets, creating unbound creative expression across musical styles.

Göksel Baktagir – Musician and composer, born in Kırklareli in 1966. He received his musical education from his father and later graduated from the State Conservatory of Turkish Music at Istanbul Technical University. He has composed over two hundred pieces for vocals and instruments and has performed in many countries with various groups and artists. Baktagir has also developed a unique technique for his left hand and has expanded his musical perspective to include new age and jazz. He has won awards for his works and continues to give concerts and teach at Haliç University Conservatory.

Halil Karaduman – Modern kanun player from Turkey who has worked with numerous famous artists such as Zeki Müren and Müzeyyen Senar. He was born in 1959 in Urfa Birecik and started learning kanun from his father. He studied at Istanbul Technical University State Conservatory and graduated with an honor degree. Likewise, he has recorded albums in Turkey, USA, and Greece and has worked with musicians and orchestras from various countries. He is also preparing a Quanun Playing Method and has written lyrics for songs.

Hamza M’raihi – Tunisian kanun player and part of the musical duo Amine and Hamza. He and his brother Amine were born in 1986 and 1987, respectively, and graduated in Middle Eastern music in 1999. They have performed at various prestigious venues in the Arab world and have also been invited to European festivals. Their repertoire includes both classical pieces and original compositions, and they are known for their unique style that blends different influences while respecting the improvisational aspects of Middle Eastern music.

Hasmik Leyloyan – Renowned kanun player and professor at Yerevan State Conservatory. She is known for innovating the classical school of Armenian Kanun by introducing new performing styles and two-part concerts. She has given concerts in over 50 countries and has authored many books and collections for kanun. Hasmik Leyloyan has also taught kanun and conducted master classes for teachers and pupils of different institutions around the world.

Hassan Erraji – Moroccan musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and composer. He has studied both Arab music theory and practice, as well as European classical music. His primary instrument is the oud, but he also plays kanun, nay, violin, and other instruments. His performances are known for his strong and expressive vocals.

Hicham Chami – Kanun performer based in Chicago who has studied kanun for nearly twenty years in Morocco and the U.S. He is the founder of the Mosaic Trio and the Arabesque Music Ensemble, as well as Xauen Music, an organization dedicated to preserving the heritage of classical Arabic, Sephardic, Turkish, and Armenian music. Hicham is also an educator and conducts workshops and classes for children and adults in a variety of settings. He strives to communicate the beauty of traditional Midle Eastern music to the American public through concerts, recordings, and publications.

Karine Hovhannisyan – Highly regarded kanun player from Armenia who studied with the famous composer Khachatur Avetisyan. She was born in Yerevan in 1966 and has graduated from Tigran Chukhadjyan and Arno Babadjanyan Music Schools. Hovhannisyan has won the Sayat Nova Competition and is now a faculty member of the Komitas State Conservatory and a member of the Armenian State Dance Ensemble. She is also part of the Shoghaken Ensemble and has performed with the group in various countries, including the US, Russia, Germany, and France, at venues such as Carnegie Hall, JFK Center for the Performing Arts, and Theatre de la Ville.

Khalil Ghadri – Syrian composer and kanun player who graduated from the Syrian University Conservatory in 2001. He later moved to the UAE and has gained recognition for his unique style of mixing traditional Arabic music with modern western tones. Ghadri has received awards for his work as a music composer and Qanun player, including taking third place in Arabic improvisation at the Arabic Music Festival and the Cairo conference in 1998.

Maged Serour – Egyptian kanun professor and virtuoso who has collaborated with Hossam Ramzy to record several albums. He was also awarded “Best kanun Player in the Middle East” at the Cairo Opera House Music Awards.

Marjan Mehraban – Iranian kanun player based in Tehran. She learned to play kanun from Maliheh Saeedi and Parichehr Khajeh, and traditional Iranian music from Madjid Kiani and Amir Sharifi. She holds a diploma from the Tehran Music Conservatory and a bachelor’s degree in traditional Iranian music from Tehran University. In 2006, she won first prize for her soloist performance in the young musician’s section of the International Fajr Music Festival.

Maya Youssef – Syrian musician and composer who is known for her proficiency in playing the kanun and is widely regarded as one of the finest kanun players in the world. She was born in Syria in 1984 and is currently based in the United Kingdom. Youssef has performed at major festivals and venues worldwide, including the BBC Proms and WOMAD. Her music is an innovative blend of Arabic classical music, jazz, Western classical music, and Latin styles. She has released several albums and has won multiple awards, including the Arts and Culture Award at the BBC Arabic Festival in 2017. In addition to her work as a performer, Youssef is also an educator and has conducted workshops and masterclasses around the world.

Marianna Gevorgyan – Armenian kanun player, born in Yerevan in 1986 and showed exemplary behavior and excellent progress in school. She graduated from the Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas and worked with various orchestras and music groups. She is a talented kanun player who has performed at numerous concerts and festivals, receiving awards and recognition for her performances. Marianna has been entrusted with premieres of works by famous composers and has been featured in many radio and TV shows.

Nilufar Habibian – Award-winning kanun player, composer, and improviser from Iran, based in London. She has a diploma in kanun performance from Tehran Music Conservatoire and studied Persian classical music under prominent Iranian maestros. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Royal Holloway University and a master’s degree in composition from Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Nilufar performs a variety of musical styles and aims to introduce Persian classical music to a wider audience by offering new interpretations of the repertoire through her solo performances.

Petros Tabouris – Greek musician, composer, and musicologist, who is known for his skillful playing of traditional Greek musical instruments, including the kanonaki (the Greek equivalent to the kanun). He was born in Athens, Greece, in 1967, and has been playing the kanonaki since he was a child. Tabouris is considered to be one of the best kanonaki players of his generation and has recorded on many albums in Greece and around the world. In addition to his work as a performer, he is also a composer and has composed music for film and television. Tabouris is also a well-known musicologist, and he has published several books on the subject of Greek traditional music.

Rajab Suleiman – Zanzibari kanun player known for his work with the Culture Musical Club. He has studied classical Arabic and Ottoman roots of the instrument, and has also delved into Western classical music and jazz. He formed Kithara in 2012 to create a new repertoire by marrying traditional ngoma dances with taarab instruments. The group includes the kanun, oud, accordion, double bass, and percussion instruments. Saada Nassor, a new singer, recently joined the group and has become well-known for her intricate use of her voice.

Sofia Labropoulou – Kanunist and composer of music that merges different styles, including Greek and Mediterranean folk, Ottoman classical, western medieval, experimental, and contemporary music. Her first album with Vassilis Ketentzoglou, titled “Butterfly,” was released in 2019, and her personal album “Sisyphus” was released in 2020 to critical and commercial success. She transitioned from piano and classical percussion to the kanun after discovering it in a creative environment in Kalamata, Greece, where she had the opportunity to study with important figures in music. She saw the kanun as an instrument with infinite possibilities and left everything to focus on learning the music it represents, eventually graduating with a degree in Byzantine Music and studying under the instruction of Spyros Pavlakis at the National Conservatory.

Tamer Pinarbasi – Turkish musician known for his proficiency in playing the kanun, a traditional Middle Eastern stringed instrument similar to a zither. He was born in Karaman, Turkey in 1970 and started taking kanun lessons at the age of 10 . Pinarbasi has recorded hundreds of albums with top Turkish artists, and he is recognized as one of the leading kanun players in the world. He is also known for his work as a composer and has collaborated with various artists in different genres, including jazz, classical, and world music. Pinarbasi is a member of several groups such as East of the River, The New York Gypsy Allstars, and The Secret Trio.

This list is not exhaustive, and there are many other talented kanun players from these regions.