Under the direction of Dr. Anne Rasmussen, The William and Mary Middle Eastern Music Ensemble is composed of 15-25 primarily undergraduate students who come to the group often with excellent musicianship, but no prior experience with the Arab, Turkish Persian, Armenian and Greek traditions that comprise the music of the Middle East. The instrumentation includes 'ud (11 stringed, pear shaped lute), qanun (72 string zither), nay (reed flute), violin, 'cello, bass, various percussion including the tablah or darabukah (vase-shaped , ceramic drum), riqq (tambourine with fish-skin head and heavy brass, cymbals), and daff (frame drum).

The ensemble has been fortunate to work with a number of guest artists over the years including: Munir Beken (composer, 'ud and tanbur); Nadim Dlaikan (nay), George Sawa (qanun) Yusef Kassab (composer, vocalist); Nabil Azzam (composer, violin); Latif Bolat (composer, vocalist, and baglama) and Kenen Yildiz (baglama); Sue Rudnicki (darabukkah); Nader Majd (vocalist and tar) and Ali Analou (tonbak); Maryem Hassan Toller and Ernie Toller (vocalist and nay); Richard and Harold Hagopian ('ud and violin); Karim Mohammad (percussion and dance), and Anne Elise Thomas (charter Qanun-ist of the W&M MEME).

The ensemble has collaborated on several occasions with singers including the William and Mary Botetourt Chamber Singers formerly under the direction of James Armstrong, now directed by Jamie Bartlett as well as the Choir of the Williamsburg, Unitarian Universalist Church. The ensemble has worked with dancers Michele Forner, Jana Beaufait and her troupe, Najla Turczyn, and Alexandra King.

In addition to their formal concerts, the ensemble has been invited to perform for the Marhaba Club of the Tidewater Arab American community, SERMEISS: The Southeast Regional Association of Middle East and Islamic Scholars, MACSEM: The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Society for Ethnomusicology, The University of Virginia, Duke University, The University of Pittsburgh, Georgetown University, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church and the unparalleled venue for acoustic and traditional music in the Mid Atlantic region, The Prism, in Charlottesville, VA. In the Williamsburg area the Ensemble has performed (sometimes repeatedly) for the Occasion for the Arts, Echoes, the James City and York County School Systems, various churches in the region and countless events on the campus of the College of William and Mary. The Ensemble has produced one compact disc recording titled: The William and Mary Middle Eastern Ensemble Live in Concert, which features their best performances from 1997-2001.