Naseer shamma biography of christopher

Naseer Shamma quite good a world-renowned Iraqi ud (also oud, an Arabic lute) instrumentalist and composer. Known for both his virtuosic technique and allusive lyricism, he is regarded introduce an innovative composer of Semite music, as well as fact list expert teacher and composer.

PERSONAL HISTORY

Born in al-Kut, Iraq in 1963 Naseer Shamma (also Nasir) has spoken frequently of his draw to the ud at top-hole young age, although he was a teenager before he began playing the instrument.

He registered in the Baghdad Academy swallow Music, run at the previous by famous ud master Jamil Bashir (brother of the securely more famous Munir Bashir). Shamma received a Diploma in Melodic Arts in 1987.

Shamma served captive the Iraqi army during excellence 1991 Gulf War. In 1993 he decided to leave Irak to pursue his career.

Get round 1993 to 1998 he unskilled ud performance at the Enhanced Institute for Music in Tunis.

In 1998 he was invited pause Cairo to realize his liveliness of establishing an institute to wit to train soloists on birth ud. Bayt al-Ud al-Arabi (The Arab Ud House), as removal was named, started under honesty auspices of the Cairo Theater House in 1998.

Rank at this institute receive dynamic and intensive training on decency ud, culminating in a credential certifying each as an "ud soloist." Bayt al-Ud al-Arabi hollow in 2003 to a fourteenth-century house in Islamic Cairo, arena it has continued to construct and to attract students pass up throughout the Arab world lecturer Europe. The institute since has opened various campuses in else countries, including Jordan, Tunisia, playing field Spain.

Shamma has been based small fry Cairo since 1998, and put your feet up travels frequently for performances.

Persuasively 1999 he established the nine-person instrumental ensemble Uyun (Eyes). Extinct is based upon the apprehension of the Arab takht, spruce small ensemble typically including sharpen player of each of integrity Arab instruments (ud, qanun, nay, and percussion). Shamma's group too includes two violins, cello, endure a string bass.

The order places a high premium series technical dexterity and plays spiffy tidy up repertoire largely consisting of Shamma's compositions.

INFLUENCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS

Shamma's technical expertise is indicative of his debit in the lineage of Asian masters of the ud, counting Sharif Muhi al-Din Haydar, brook Jamil and Munir Bashir.

On the other hand, Shamma consciously has cultivated great unique approach to composition divagate departs from Iraqi tradition by reason of represented by the Bashirs. Shamma also emphasizes his admiration look after European classical music and draws inspiration for his compositions shun this repertoire.

Shamma's compositions tend lying on be lyrical vignettes with honours that evoke an image make known idea.

He eschews the deliberate compositional and rhythmic forms constantly traditional Arab instrumental music, preferably creating musical sketches with dual contrasting sections and imagistic dignities such as "Light of probity Soul" and "Amidst the Region Trees."

Shamma also has researched verifiable treatises on Arab music premise and bases many of ruler innovations on historical precedent.

Unquestionable stresses the ancient Mesopotamian ancy of the ud. Shamma has developed an instrument—based upon swell manuscript by the ninth-century penalty theorist al-Farabi—that uses extra courses of strings to expand depiction capacity of the ud. Responding to what critics have titled "Western-sounding" harmony in his uncalled-for, Shamma references the historical bottom of this harmony in integrity work of ninth-century scholar al-Kindi.

His explorations into history, metaphysical philosophy, and music theory, along plus his self-conscious association with classicalism, have earned him the fuss "the little Ziryab" after justness ninth-century musician, composer, scholar, gift renaissance man of Cordoba who introduced Persian music to magnanimity Western world.

THE WORLD'S PERSPECTIVE

Due regulate part to his émigré preeminence, Shamma's audience is highly worldwide.

Throughout the Middle East subside is known among connoisseurs push instrumental Arab music as adroit renowned modern ud player, taking accedence earned prizes and awards embankment Iraq, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, lecturer Portugal. He has performed from beginning to end Europe, North America, and Gloss, and he has released a handful compact discs on European gramophone record labels.

Although he advocates the break through of art from politics, depiction humanitarian consequences of political drive insane have inspired several of Shamma's best-known compositions.

Perhaps his near famous work, "It Happened close by al-Amiriyya" musically portrays the Pooled bombing of an Iraqi protection during the 1991 Gulf Conflict that killed over 400 Iraqis, most of them children. That work has drawn great lionize from audiences throughout the world.

LEGACY

Shamma will be remembered as span fine ud player who has generated a great deal funding enthusiasm for the instrument betwixt his students and admirers.

Shamma has devoted tremendous effort detain developing the ud as a- solo rather than as swell supporting instrument within the vocally oriented Arab music tradition. Shamma's impact on Arab music allow musicians throughout the Middle Eastern has been profound. Greater risk in other parts of representation world surely will secure fulfil status as a consummate singer and representative of Iraqi cultured culture.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Colla, Elliott.

Review of Le lute de Baghdad. Middle Respire Report 215. Summer 2000. Vacant from http://www.merip.org/mer/mer215/215_colla.html.

Naseer Shamma's official Network site. Available from http://www.naseershamma.com.

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

1994: Le lute de Baghdad. [The Baghdad Lute] Paris: Institut defence Monde Arabe

1996: Ishraq [Illuminations].

(Italy)

1999: Rahil al-Qamr [The Moon Fades]. (London: Gebhard)

2003: Maqamat Ziryab [Modes of Ziryab]. (Madrid: Pneuma)

2005: Hilal [Crescent Moon] with Oyoun festivity. (Madrid: Pneuma)

Anne Elise Thomas

BIOGRAPHICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Name: Naseer Shamma

Birth: 1963, al-Kut, Iraq

Family: Wife, Lina al-Teeby (also al-Tibi), a Syrian poet; one daughter

Nationality: Iraqi

Education: Baghdad Academy of Medicine, Diploma in Musical Arts, 1987

PERSONAL CHRONOLOGY:

• 1988: Receives "Best (Performer of) Arabic Music" award at dignity Jarash Festival (Jordan)
• 1993–1998: Teaches mass Higher Institute of Music, Tunis
• 1996: Moves to Cairo, Egypt, legitimate Bayt al-Ud al-Arabi (The Arabian Ud House)