Yousef Shamoun was born in Aleppo, Syria. Aleppo is home to a strong tradition of composing and singing the Muwashshahat and the Qudud Halabiya. It is also known for its Tarab, a musical style which means “enchantment.” Youssef belongs to the school of great Aleppian singers such as Sabah Fakhri,Mohamad Khairy and Omar Al-Batsh. He is known for both his mastery of the mawwal (non-metric vocal improvisation) and for his powerful rendition of the Arabic Maqam. Youssef is passionate about both preserving the classical tradition of Muwashshahat while also experimenting and innovating with their style and structures. As an active member of the Syrian-American community, Youssef has performed in several events and countries throughout the US, as well as Canada, Europe and the Middle East.