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Abdelwahab Abdelfattah, Mohamed (b. 1960s, Giza). Egyptian composer of interdisciplinary works that have been performed in Africa, Europe and North America; he is also active as a researcher.
Prof. Abdelwahab Abdelfattah first studied photography at Helwan University, where he earned his BA in 1983. He studied composition with Gamal Abdel-Rahim, counterpoint with Leila El-Sayyad and counterpoint and harmony with Awatif Abdel-Karim at the Conservatory of Music in Cairo and there earned two BAs in 1986, one with high honors, and his MA in 1990. He then studied composition with Markus Pressl at the Musik-Universität Graz/Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Graz from 1990–93, on a scholarship, and composition and electroacoustic music with Dieter Kaufmann at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Vienna from 1993–96, where he graduated with the Magister Artium, which was later transferred to Egypt as a DA in 1998.
His music has been performed in Austria, Egypt, Germany, Switzerland, and the USA.
As a researcher, he has written numerous essays on topics such as applied composition, music for deaf listeners and music therapy, most often for Afaq, the magazine of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture in Cairo. He invented visual solfège, a notation and a system of music education for the deaf, from 2005–08. He has written the book Orchestration (2001, Rohel Yousef) and the pamphlet Seeing the Sound (2005, 2 volumes, Academy of Arts of the Conservatory of Music in Cairo).
Prof. Abdelwahab Abdelfattah is also active in other positions. He worked as a program coordinator for exchanges between Egyptian and foreign contemporary-music organizations in Cairo from 1997–2005. He served as a member of the music committee of the Egyptian Supreme Cultural Council from 1998–2002, as composer-in-residence at the Cairo Opera House from 1999–2005 and as director of the International Festival for Experimental Theatre in Cairo in 2004. He has collaborated with the Goethe-Institut, Nippon Foundation and the organization Pro Helvetia to coordinate cultural-exchange concerts.
He has taught analysis, Arabic violin, composition, counterpoint, dodecaphonic techniques, electroacoustic music, harmony, instrumentation, keyboard, music theory, orchestration, and solfège at the Conservatory of Music in Cairo since 1987, where he was a lecturer from 1987–90, senior lecturer from 1990–98 and assistant professor from 1998–2003 and where he has been associate professor since 2003. He also taught as a guest professor at various universities in Egypt from 1998–2003, gave lectures in Austria and Switzerland in 2001 and lectured on Egyptian music, his own music, maqamat, music for deaf audiences, and other subjects as a visting scholar at Boston University from 2007–09.
In addition to the works listed below, Prof. Abdelwahab Abdelfattah has written much film music.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail address: drabdelwahab_mohamed@yahoo.com
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS (note that the composer divides his output not according to categories, but rather according to years and locations)
CAIRO (1983–88): Egyptian Song, flute, piano, 1983; Childhood Memories (suite), piano, 1983; Mawwal Bashandi (inspired by mawwal [vocal improvisations] of the Siwa desert oasis), viola, piano, 1984; Dance from the Valley, clarinet, piano, 1984; Polka Schehata, small orchestra (c. 30 players), 1984; Image from the Countryside, flute, vibraphone, riqq (Egyptian tambourine), 1985 (also versions for flute, oboe, riqq, 1985; 2 flutes, riqq, 1985); The Three Geese (ballet song for theatre production by Saad Ardash, text by Ahmed Shawqi), 4 children's voices, 1985; Anshedi Ya Seba (new Arabic treatment of Egyptian folksong Mowashshah – Leader), c. 30 strings, 1985; Fantasy, percussion, orchestra (c. 50 players), 1986; Dodecaphonies (suite), piano, 1986–88; Wadi El-Molouk (symphonic poem about the Valley of the Kings in Luxor), orchestra (c. 50 players), 1988
GRAZ (1990–93): Dialogue, 2 flutes, 1990; Vocalises, soprano, oboe, 1991; Ali El-Awa (text from an Egyptian children's folksong), children's chorus, piano, 2 percussion, 1992; Hena Maqas (text from an Egyptian children's folksong), children's chorus, piano, 2 percussion, 1992; Ghazal, flute, 1992; Two Street Vendors (canon), 2 B-flat trumpets, 1992; Takharif – Musical Superstitions, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, B-flat trumpet, tenor trombone, 2 violas, piano, tape, 1992; El-Zar (ostinato on an Egyptian rhythm), bassoon, French horn, 2 B-flat trumpets, tenor trombone, bass trombone, accordion, drumkit, 1993; Articulations (suite), clarinet, bassoon, French horn, B-flat trumpet, viola, double bass, riqq, 1993; Chernobyl, tape, 1993 (also version with slide projections [by the composer], 2000); As Short as Possible (String Quartet No. 1), string quartet, tape, 1993
VIENNA (1994–95): Agwaa I (atmospheric suite), violin (2 players with 2 bows), 1994; El-kholkhal (1 act ballet on an Egyptian folk theme, scenario by the composer), 5 dancers, small orchestra (2 flutes, bass clarinet, bassoon, French horn, B-flat trumpet, guitar, 2 percussion, 13 strings), 1994; Déjà vu (Six Variations on a Czerny Piano Étude), 4 saxophones, 1994; Die Wunderzahl (collage, text by the composer), male speaker, tape, 1994–95 (also version as Message from the Afterworld El-Akhra [text by the composer], male speaker, large orchestra, tape, 1994–96); Zekra – Souvenir (vocalise), mixed chorus, large orchestra, 1995
CAIRO (1998–2005): Barsoum Looking for a Job (film score [for silent movie by Mohamed Bayoumi]), violin, 1998; Mo'atherat – Effects (improvisation), violin, 1999; Monamnamat – Miniatures (String Quartet No. 2) (suite), string quartet, 1999; Welad-El-balad (ostinato on a folk rhythm), symphonic band, 2000; Ghazl El-banat (after fanfares of wandering candy seller), B-flat trumpet, small orchestra (oboe, French horn, B-flat trumpet, trombone, vibraphone, drumkit, darabukka [Arabic drum] [+ riqq], 14 violins, 4 celli, 2 double basses), 2000; Melaya Laf (dance piece), clarinet, riqq, animation (by the composer), 2000; Qasr Elshoq (film score [Hassan El-Imam]), guitar, small orchestra (piccolo, flute, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, B-flat trumpet, vibraphone, riqq, 14 violins, 4 celli, 2 double basses), 2000; Agwaa II (atmospheric variations on a street vendor's fanfare), amplified oboe, live electronics, 2000; Ya Lil (text by Khalil Gibran; violinist must be female and on left of stage), moving male voice, violin, tape, 2000; The Hot Letter (ten satirical sketches, text by the composer), 4 mixed voices, 2001; Ranineiyat – Rings (theatre piece/experimental suite), 2 percussion, 2001; Soul in Straw (audiovisual variations on the film Doa'a El-karawan, vocalise), 4 mixed voices, MIDI-keyboard, 2001; Ranin from Space, tape, slide projections (by the composer, Tamdor Nagib), 2001; Violin and Machine (experimental theatre music/duet; one player must be female, one player must be male), violin 4 hands (with 2 bows, sewing machine), 2001; Consequence-Sketch (player responds to live painting by any artist), double bass, 2001; Air Wings (improvisations), moving large orchestra, tape, film (by the composer), 2002; Message from underwater (theatre piece, after song sung by Abdel-Halim Hafiz), small orchestra (less than 30 players), tape, film (by the composer, Abdel Halim), 2002; Lahib El-thalg (visual piece), film (by the composer), 2002; On Coulisses, tape, film (by the composer), 2002; Khashkhashet – Paper (audiovisual fantasy), tape, film (by the composer), 2002; Azraq Profile (music for an exhibition of blue paintings by Shadya El-Qoshery; harpist must be female), harp, sound installation (by the composer), film installation (by Adel El-Qoshery), 2002; Tashshet Sot (improvisational melodies; Arab musicians also speak text by the composer), nāy (flute), 'ūd (lute), riqq, darabukka, small orchestra (c. 30 players), 2004; Qahqaha – Loud and Sustained Laughter (psychotherapeutic music), tape, films (El-Mellionaire Al-Faqeer – The Poor Millionaire by Halmy Rafla] [excerpts], Meraty Magnuna Magnuna – My Wife Is Crazy Crazy by Halmy Halim] [excerpts]), 2004; Five Fingers (collage of documentary footage), tape, film (by Tamdor Nagib), 2004; Cinematic Snapshots (suite), flute, riqq, darabukka, 49 strings, 2004; Air Bubbles (experimental music theatre work), any number of actresses, any number of actors, mixed dance troupe, mixed Arab-Western orchestra, lights, 2004; Shakhbata – Doodles (psychospontaneous polyimprovisations), any number of players, 2001–05; Sound Watching (audiovisual sound scenography), tape, lights, 2005; Audible Flashes (rhythmic suite for deaf performers), kitchen utensils (18 players), 2005
BOSTON (2007–08): Series of Arabic Songs (text compiled by the composer), 4 mixed voices, 2007–08; Dances (suite), orchestra (c. 50 players), 2007–
DISCOGRAPHY
Die Wunderzahl. Mohamed Abdelwahab Abdelfattah, speaker (EX: 256-2, 1995)
As Short as Possible (String Quartet No. 1). Alea Quartett (Graz: Alea-01-97, 1997)
(Last updated on March 21, 2009)
