Arabic Oud House
The Arabic Oud House (Arabic: بيت العود) is a music school for the traditional Arabic lute called oud in Cairo, Egypt. Founded by Iraqi oud player Naseer Shamma, the school has trained a new generation of oud players and subsequently opened branches in the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Algeria and Sudan.
History[edit]
The Arabic Oud House was created in 1999 in Cairo by Iraqi oud player and composer Naseer Shamma.[1] Shamma, who graduated from the Baghdad Academy of Music, is a UNESCO Artist for Peace[2] and has been distinguished by other organizations like the International Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies as goodwill ambassador.[3]
It is said to be the first music school exclusively dedicated to teaching oud as a solo instrument, which is a relatively recent development for the instrument.[4] Initially based at the Cairo Opera House, it has since moved to an historical building in the old city of Cairo.[4] Since its beginning, it has gained an international reputation as an oud school.[5] Oud players like Yurdal Tokcan from Turkey or Saïd Chraibi from Morocco gave masterclasses there,[5] and several oud players of a new generation graduated from it, such as Tarek Abdallah, Ghassan Youssef, Hazem El Shahin or Nehad El Sayyed.
In the following years, the Arabic Oud House opened branches in Abu Dhabi, Alexandria,[6] Baghdad, Constantine[7] and Khartoum.[8] The music school in Khartoum also teaches the stringed instrument qanun and has trained craftsmen in the production of the oud. Further, it aspires to become a center for oud players all over Africa.[9]
In literature[edit]
The novel Le Traître, by Pierre Cormon, is partly set in the Arabic Oud House, where it is called 'Arabic Lute Institute'.[10]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Nassir Shamma – Le maître du oud". Arte. 9 December 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ^ UNESCO (2017-02-20). "Celebrated Iraqi musician Naseer Shamma named UNESCO Artist for Peace". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 2017-02-22. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
- ^ "Naseer Shamma, IFRC Goodwill Ambassador for the Middle East". International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
- ^ a b "Pierre Cormon consacre onze semaines par an à apprendre le oud au Caire". Le Temps. 15 July 2004.
- ^ a b "Med Abouzekri et le Nancy Jazz pulsation". France Culture. radio France. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
- ^ "Alexandria celebrates opening of Arabic oud house". ahramonline. Al Ahram. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ^ "L'ouverture d'une maison du oud à Constantine". WebArabic. 30 August 2010. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ^ "Bio". Naseer Shamma. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
- ^ ""Made in Sudan" The Oud House of Khartoum". Naseer Shamma. 2021-03-13. Retrieved 2021-08-30.
- ^ "Le traître" guide les lecteurs sur les pistes sinueuses du Moyen-Orient, Tribune de Genève, 7 August 2010