Monochords, Kalimbas, Koshi & Zaphir Chime & Gong Drums– Handmade Sound Healing Instruments
Storytelling on Monolini with Twin Sisters
Twin sisters Hala and Nuha Alaw were our special guests for our "Monochord Monday Meetup" in May of 2025 who joined us live from Nashville.
The sisters share their fascinating personal account of how they came to the US in December 2013 as refugees after escaping violence in Iraq and first fleeing to Syria and then to Jordan before finally landing in Nashville, Tennessee. Their story has a happy ending as they are now US citizens who offer sound journeys they conduct together.
The twins then demonstrate how they play together using Monolini with soft mallets combined with a frame drum, to inspire an inner evocative journey with imagery of thunder and galloping horses! The "gallop" effect is created by using the mallets with a technique called a "flam". In drumming, a flam is a drum accent where a soft, quick grace note Is played just before the main, louder stroke. This creates a thicker, longer-sounding note than a single stroke.
To further inspire you, the sisters read a poem that we've shared below here. As we often share in our monochord trainings and meetup groups, starting with specific imagery and playing with that in mind will help you to create sounds that are more specifically evocative for the listener. Perhaps you can find your own inner imagery here that will lead you to evocative play on the monochord:
Whispers of the Storm
Horses move in morning’s grace,
Soft hooves brushing earth’s embrace.
Mane and tail in rhythm flow,
While skies above are calm and slow.
But then—a whisper in the trees,
The first sharp breath of rising breeze.
Their ears flick back, they lift their heads,
As winds begin to shake the beds
Of leaves and grass and waiting ground—
A storm is coming, thick with sound.
Thunder cracks in wild reply,
A drumbeat rolling through the sky.
The horses surge, but not in fear,
Their pace is fast, their purpose clear.
Through open fields, they glide and race,
Each stride a heartbeat toward a place
Where ancient rocks and shelter wait,
A haven strong against storm’s weight.
The thunder roars, the sky turns black,
Lightning dances down the track.
But safe within their hollowed hill,
The herd stands quiet, strong and still.
And then—the silence starts to mend
The storm that screamed begins to end.
The thunder sighs its final cry,
The wind slows down, then passes by.
A gentle breeze, yet full of might,
Brushes the world in silver light.
And in its hush, the wild things know—
Even power learns to let go.
Hala and Nuha Alaw are 200-hour Registered Yoga Teachers (RYT) originally from Iraq. Their journey to the United States began in 2006 when they fled their home country due to war and terrorism. Alongside their parents, they moved to Syria, where they lived for four years, before relocating to Jordan in 2010 to begin the resettlement process. Facing uncertainty and separation from loved ones, they endured years of anxiety and insecurity before finally arriving in the U.S. as refugees in 2013. They proudly became U.S. citizens in 2019. To learn more about their inspiring journey, check out their story on YouTube here.
Hala and Nuha discovered yoga in 2016 and quickly embraced it as a transformative practice. For Hala, yoga strengthens the connection between mind and body while helping to build and tone muscles. For Nuha, it became a tool to manage anxiety and reduce panic attacks.
Motivated by their own healing journeys, they became yoga instructors to share the benefits of yoga and inspire others to integrate mindfulness and authenticity into their practice.
In 2021, Hala and Nuha completed their 200-hour yoga teacher training and began teaching together as a dynamic duo. They specialize in Power Vinyasa, Yin Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Sound Bath, Chair Yoga, and Trauma-Informed Yoga, offering a range of classes that cater to diverse needs.
Beyond yoga, Nuha works as a Senior Product Analyst at HCA Healthcare, while Hala serves as a Senior Quality Assurance Analyst at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Follow Hala and Nuha on Instagram
