Zahra is in demand as a chamber, session and orchestral musician. She was first violinist and founding member of the prize-winning Benyounes Quartet for 16 years. With the quartet she performed internationally at leading venues and festivals including Wigmore Hall, Vienna Konzerthaus, Verbier, Aldeburgh and Aix-en-Provence Festivals and given multiple radio broadcasts.The quartet's diverse discography received widespread critical acclaim and they premiered numerous works for string quartet by pioneering contemporary composers such as Paul Ruders, Philip Cashian, Simon Bainbridge and John Woolrich.
Further experience as a chamber musician has led to collaborations with internationally renowned artists such as Nicky Spence, Tim Ridout, David Cohen, Awadagin Pratt, Julian Bliss, and projects with the Piatti and Solem Quartets. As a soloist she has performed with the BBC Singers live on Radio 3 and performs regularly with pianist Jeremy Young. She has recently embarked on a new venture with her love for the viola and has co-founded the London Piano Quartet in 2022.
Zahra's love for orchestral playing began at an early age, leading the 2nds of the National Youth Orchestra and leading the Halle Youth Orchestra. Now she appears as guest principal with leading UK ensembles including CBSO, Philharmonia, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, RPCO, BBCNOW, Riot Ensemble, Aurora and London Chamber Orchestra. in 2021 Zahra lead the Chineke! Orchestra's BBC Prom and the re-opening of the Royal Festival Hall post lockdown with Sheku Kanneh-Mason as soloist. Zahra regularly performs and records with the innovative London Contemporary Orchestra and John Wilson's award-winning Sinfonia of London. As a member of the innovative 12 Ensemble, Zahra has appeared in festivals and venues across Europe.
Her tutors have included Gabor Takacs-Nagy, Maciej Rakowski and Quatuor Ebene and she has participated in masterclasses with artists including Pamela Frank, Eberhard Feltz, Peter Copper and Andras Keller.
As a teacher herself, Zahra is on the faculty of chamber music at the Royal Northern College of Music and she has given masterclasses at conservatoires and universities across the UK and Ireland. Zahra is the Artistic Director of the South Downs Summer Music Festival.
'..masterful and totally engaging..'
MW International
Equally at home in the recording studio, Zahra spends much of her career working for film, TV and record producers at major London studios such as Abbey Road, AIR and RAK. She has recorded for a multitude of commerical artists primarily as part of Wired Strings. She has performed live at the Royal Albert Hall with Michael Kiwanuka, Stereophonics, Goldfrapp, Boy George and Bjork and live on 'Later with Jools Holland', The Brits and for London Fashion Week.
Zahra's surname is of Arabic origin. She plays on a beautiful 1682 Nicolo Amati kindly made available to her from the Boucher Trust.