Adil Benhsain

Adil Benhsain discovered his musical passion at Moroccan wedding celebrations, where he spontaneously started playing music. However, he soon realized the necessity of formal music lessons. Today, he is a versatile musician skilled in playing the derbouka, oud, and viola. His admiration extends to inspiring artists such as Lorenzo Gatto, Paco de Lucia, and Abdelhalim Hafez. In short, Adil Benhsain's musical experience knows no bounds.

His musical journey began with the guitar, but he quickly switched to the Arabic lute, the oud. In 2008, he studied at the Kunsthumaniora in Brussels, where he returned to studying the guitar. The following year, he chose the viola because of its warm sound and continued his studies at the Maastricht Conservatory under the guidance of Marc Tooten.

As an adventurous musician, Adil is constantly exploring new sounds and combinations. The urge to compose his own music is strong, and he enjoys exploring the boundaries between traditional and other music styles. His composition, the 'Suite in C' for viola and percussion, which reconciles baroque dances with Arabic maqams, brought him to the final of the AIM: Award for Innovation in Music in 2019. Writing and creating music play a prominent role in his artistic life.

Currently, Adil is a highly versatile musician active in various ensembles, including the Amber Haddad Quintet, Sohnarr with Patricia Vanneste, and Gabahin, a duo with marimba player Erik Taelemans. In addition to his regular groups, he also participates in various music theater projects, such as PIM (Peace in Music), Portugaliza.... Um encontro (Youth exchange), Le Petit Emir, and Mouw (Theater De Spiegel).

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, Adil continues to enjoy life as a musician. And occasionally, this includes a moment of enjoyment with a thick cigar and spirituality.