Ahmed Mukhtar

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Ahmed Mukhtar Arabic ,أحمد مختار (b. 1967) is an Iraqi musician who is internationally renowned for his playing of the oud. He was born in Baghdad and is a graduate of the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad.

[edit] Biography

Early Life

Ahmed was born 1967 in Baghdad and has played the Oud and Arabic percussion since 1979. He worked with many folk music groups and musicians in Baghdad. He studied Oud and percussion with the masters Ganim Hadad and Jameel Jerjis and gradated form Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad. Ahmed worked with Arabic orchestras and performed on TV with several Iraqi groups. He went on to study Oud and western percussion at the high institute of music in Damascus. Later he studied in London College of Music. At School of Oriental and African Studies- London University, he studed a Master of music in performance, also Middle East and Arabic music. Teaching Oud, percussion and Arabic music theory in manyplaces in London such as SOAS-London University. From 1990 he became a performer and teacher and toured throughout the Meddle East and Europe like:Damascus,Amman,Cairo,Tunisia,Algeria,Abu Dhabi,Beirut,Khartoum,London,Paris,New York,Boston,Amsterdam,Warsaw,Brussels,Stockholm,Vienna,Madrid,Geneva,Rome and Istanbul

Mukhtar has written music for plays and documentaries for Arabic TV stations, such as MBC, ART, Mustakela and BB5, also has composed music for a new Iraqi-European version of Stravinsky's "The Soldier's Tale" that produced at The Old Vic at the end of January 2006.He released two CDs, in 1996 and 1999, both of which contain traditional music and original work. ARC music Company realised two CDs (rhythm of Baghdad-2003) and (Road to Baghdad-2005) for Mukhtar composition. Musicians Union in Britain at 1999 had awarded Ahmed an award of best known-western musical compositions. The UN chose Ahmed and sixteen other musicians from all over the world to release a CD for the benefit of the victims of terrorism and wars. Human Rights Association adopted this. Today, he presents his own education musical program (Speech of the Oud) on the Almustaklah TV channel, which broadcasts from London. He also teaches Arabic music theory and percussion in London colleges. The unfretted Oud may be the hardest of all instruments to play, with its delicately flattened intervals, but Mukhtar extracts magic: he can make it dream, gallop, or thunder, and he uses silence to great effect. His Festival performances include:

- The International Festival in Poland -1987 - The International Festival of Arabic Music in Cairo-1994 - The Conference of Arabic Music in Damascus-1995 - The International Music Feast in Cambridge University1997 - The International Conference and Festival of Lute and Music in France and Spain 1998-2002 - The Festival of Iraqi Culture 2002 - The Festival of Iraqi Culture -Stockholm 2002. - The Festival of the Iraqi Culture -Stockholm 2003 - WOMAD Global festival- Reading 2003 - Many live performances and concerts for BBC Radio 3 London. - Mediterranean Festival 2004- Italy - a gust performer in the international music day 1/1/2004 form BBC radio 3 - A gust performer in the Book International Exhibition in U.A.E- 2005 - Iarqi Music Week in London, as diracter and performar-2006

FROM NEWSPAPERS IN WORLD PRASS

The unfretted Oud may be the hardest of all instruments to play, with its delicately flattened intervals, but Mukhtar extracts magic: he can make it dream, gallop, or thunder, and he uses silence to great effect. Michael Church (the Independent on Sunday 23 March 2003)

Ahmed Mukhtar's blessed fingers fashioning shades and shapes from his instrument that most people can only dream of. Veering from sprightly melodic segments to passages of innovative strokes and strums, the effect is a unique excursion to the heart and soul of sensual acoustics. (People Sound, Music Company)

The album from Baghdad, played significantly here by two exiles, comprises more contemporary and better-recorded pieces by an Oud and percussion duet. The percussionist, Alsaadi, either has extra hands or some tasteful overdubbing has been used to give richer percussive backdrops. These textures seem to free up Mukhtar to do some really spacious playing, much of which is a delight. Taplas Magazine (April/May 2003) Rob Smith

FROM NEWSPAPERS IN ARAB PRASS

Al-Hayat newspaper

“The concepts of the great Arabic philosopher, Al- Kindy, are the foundation on which Ahmed Mukhtar has developed his skills in playing the Oud. He practices Al- Kindy theoretical concepts, by using music liberated from clinched predictable styles, music based on the rich wonderful musical traditions, but at the same time enriched by spirit of contemporary music”.

AL Quds Newspaper

“Ahmed Mukhtar uses techniques from all over the world but does not dilute his music with western elements. Mukhtar is an Oud player and composer from Iraq. He has studied Arabic music styles in depth and is concerned to preserve the complexities of the traditions”.

Asharq Al-Awsat Newspaper

“Mukhtar works outside the area of songs and does not limit himself to merely making musical entertainment. His music is rooted in the traditional Iraqi style and he uses the different playing techniques, adding tremolo to distinguish his playing. He also has unique style of harmony”.

Azzaman Newspaper

“Ahmed Mukhtar did not perfect his skills merely to play and study but to embrace the whole culture and emotion of the music and the instrument. He was captivated at an early age by the sound of the instrument and he has devoted his life to exploring and mastering its potential. In concert he develops a mystical intensity full of emotion and imagination. Taking the listener with him as he explores his soul through his playing”.

Baghdad Newspaper

“Ahmed Mukhtar is product of the Iraqi school of Oud playing. His music reflects its history, its sadness and its mysticism. His playing takes you to the cafes, alleys and minarets of Baghdad. An evocation of exploring your soul on the bank the Tigris”.