Abdallah Hani El Masri عبدالله هاني المصري (born 1962,
Beirut
Beirut, french: Beyrouth is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, which makes it the third-largest city in the Levant region. The city is situated on a peninsula at the midpoint o ...
) is a
Lebanese-
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
n composer, now resident in
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
, of mostly orchestral and chamber works that have been performed in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
https://youtube.com/user/abdallaelmasri
Life and career
El-Masri studied guitar with
Isaa Escaf at a music school in
Hammana
Hammana ( ar, حمانا) is a town in Lebanon, about 26 km (16 miles) east of Beirut. At an altitude of 1200 m (about 4000 ft) above sea level, Hammana is in the Mount Lebanon Governorate in the district (or Caza) of Baabda. Hammana i ...
from 1977–79 and studied guitar and music theory with
Joseph Ashkhanyan at the ''Centre Culturel Espagnol'' in Beirut from 1979-82. He then studied composition with
Konstantin Batashov and
Roman Ledenyov, theory and harmony with Yuri Vorontsov and
Yuri Kholopov
Yuri Nikolaevich Kholopov (russian: link=no, Ю́рий Никола́евич Холóпов, ; August 14, 1932, Ryazan – April 24, 2003, Moscow) was a Russian musicologist and educator.
Biography
After graduating from Ryazan Music Regional C ...
and orchestration with
Nikolai Rakov at the
Tchaikovsky Conservatory
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...
in
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
from 1982–93, where he earned his MFA in 1991 and DMus in 1993.
Among his honors is an honorable mention in the young composers competition of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory (1988). He has been an active member of the
Russian Composers Union since 1998. His music has been performed in
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, Kuwait, Lebanon, Russia, and
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
.
El-Masri is also active in other positions. He founded the vocal ensemble Al-Jabal in 1977 and wrote songs for it from 1977-82. Later he founded the vocal ensemble Al-Wilada in 1984, which performed in Germany and Russia, and disbanded in 1990. In addition, he has written the books ''Practical Course of Orchestration'' (1995, Kuwait Higher Institute of Music) and ''Instruments of the Orchestra'' (2001, ''Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Beirut'') and traditional harmony book “TANAGHOM AL ALHAN تناغم الالحان” (Kuwait, Sofia library 2020)
As a guitarist, he worked with the
Al Mayadeen vocal ensemble (directed by
Marcel Khalife
Marcel Khalifé ( ar, مرسيل خليفة; born 10 June 1950 in Amchit) is a Palestinian- Lebanese musical composer, singer, and oud player.
Biography
In 1983, Paredon Records (later acquired by Smithsonian Folkways) released ''Promises ...
) from 1977–82 and also arranged music for this group. He was also active as a guitarist in various ensembles in Lebanon from 1979–82 and toured Europe and the US in 1982. He has taught composition at both the Kuwait Higher Institute of Music in
Kuwait City
Kuwait City ( ar, مدينة الكويت) is the capital and largest city of Kuwait. Located at the heart of the country on the south shore of Kuwait Bay on the Persian Gulf, it is the political, cultural and economical centre of the emirate, ...
and
PAAET
The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) ( ar, الهيئة العامة للتعليم التطبيقي والتدريب) is an academic institute in Kuwait, it is considered one of the largest institutes in the Middle East ...
Kuwait since 1994. He has also lectured in Kuwait and Russia.
One of his most notable pupils a multi stylist Kuwaiti contemporary classical music composer is Abdulaziz Shabakouh.
In addition to the works listed below, El-Masri has composed much stage music.
Complete list of works
Orchestral
*Samaii, nay, riqq, string orchestra, 1983-86 (section of In Arabic Mood II; may be performed separately);
*Symphony No. 1, 1991;
*Symphony No. 2, 1994;
*Violin Concerto, 2001;
*Piano Concerto, 2003;
*"Matar" for mezzo-soprano, piano choir and orchestra, 2010;
*Oud Concerto, 2011
*Cello Concerto, 2012
*Symphony no. 3, 2016;
*Symphony no. 4 (Reflections), 2021
*two prayer (requiem song to Beirut) and (minute prayer to Bassam Saba) for strings Orchestra and French horn, 2020
*a shildren’s calendar (in old Style) for orchestra, 2020
Chamber music
*Sonata, violin, piano, 1985;
Performance on YouTube
of Violin Sonata
*String Quartet, 1985–86;
*Quintet, clarinet, harp, violin, viola, cello, 1986;
*Suite, flute, piano, 1986;
*In Arabic Mood I, 1986-87 (each of its four sections may be performed separately: flute, clarinet, bassoon; string quartet; oboe, violin, cello, piano; 2 trumpets, 2 trombones);
*Three Moods, E-flat clarinet, clarinet, bass clarinet, basset horn, 1988;
*Elegy, violin, cello, piano, 1989;
*Guitar Quartet, 4 guitars, 1996
* "JIMALI WALI" THEME FROM IRAQI FOLK SONG, 2002
*piano Sonata 2020
Choral
*In Arabic Mood II (vocalise), 1983-86 (each of its two sections may be performed separately: Samaii, nay, riqq, string orchestra; small mixed chorus, string orchestra)
Vocal
*''Poème'' (text by Paul Shaul), baritone, cello, piano, 1987;
*"Matar" for mezzo-soprano, piano and orchestra (choral Ad.lib), 2010;
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Masri, Abdalla
20th-century classical composers
Russian classical composers
Russian male classical composers
Russian people of Lebanese descent
Lebanese composers
1962 births
Living people
Moscow Conservatory alumni
Musicians from Beirut
Lebanese emigrants to Kuwait
20th-century Russian male musicians