Ensemble Ambitions in a World Divided
Above, from left, Suhail Khoury, Ahmad Al Khatib, Ibrahim Atari and Yousef Hbeisch performing at the Kennedy Center in Washington in March. By DANIEL J. WAKIN WISPS of mournful tunes from a cane flute mingled with the plucking, jangling arabesques of the zitherlike qanun, the oud and gentle drums. The sounds arose from a quartet of Arab musicians who call themselves the Oriental Music Ensemble as they shared a precious moment of togetherness in the Miller Theater at Columbia University in














