Maya Youssef (born 1984) is a Syrian musician and composer based in the United Kingdom who plays the qanun.
She completed her degree in music in 2007 after studying with the Syrian composer and qanun player Salim Sarwa and Azerbaijani musician Elmira Akhundova.
[3][6] In July 2014, Youssef appeared at the BBC Proms, playing as a solo artist and as part of an ensemble, with Kuljit Bhamra (tabla) and Adam Oscar Storey (double bass).
[1] Her debut album Syrian Dreams was produced by Joe Boyd and released in November 2017 under the Harmonica Mundi label.
[12] As of 2021[update] Youssef is the Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Middle Eastern Ensemble at the University of London.