jacob - 6-22-2007 at 03:32 AM
Hi,
Thanks for maintaining this excellent forum. Can anyone recommend one or more oud teachers in Egypt? I have taken lessons there before, and my
experiences are mixed. I am a beginner on the oud, but I have played the piano for a long time and know the Western theory of music well. I would like
a teacher who does not treat me like I'm a musical nitwit, and at the same time appreciates that I'm a beginner.
Greetings from Norway,
Jacob.
John Erlich - 6-22-2007 at 07:53 AM
Hi Jacob,
Maybe trying asking Scott Marcus. He is a professor of ethnomusicology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He directs UCSB's Middle
Eastern Ensemble and writes about and frequently visits Egypt.
You can find contact information for him at UCSB's music dept. web page: http://www.music.ucsb.edu/ .
Good luck,
John Jacob Erlich
jacob - 6-26-2007 at 02:46 AM
Thanks very much, John. He seems like a good person to ask.
damascene_oud - 6-26-2007 at 02:21 PM
Dear Jacob,
If i were you i wouldn't spare a moment and will go immediately to the "Beit el Oud" in the Egyptian Opera House in Cairo.
That institute is directly supervised by Nasseer Shamma, and i'm assuming that they can accept you since you have a knowledge in music and can read
music well.
So take my advice and so and see them.
They are among the best in teaching oud in the Arab world.
Brian Prunka - 6-27-2007 at 02:13 AM
Have you tried Alfred Gamil? contact info at http://qithara.com/
Alfred Gamil was born in Cairo in 1957. In 1972 he completed the preparatory school education at the Frères School (Collège de la Salle). In the
same year he enrolled at the High Institute for Arabic Music, at the Secondary Section. 1975 he obtained the Diploma from the Arab Music Institute
with distinction specializing in ‘voice’. During his study at the same Institute he attended voluntarily a year of general knowledge in
music, covering music theory and composition at the Conservatory.
In 1975, Alfred Gamil enrolled at the High Institute for Arabic Music studying the same specialization. In 1979 he obtained a B.A. with an excellent
degree in both the general and the specialization studies, with honor grade of the first degree. in 1980, he was assigned as assistant at the
Institute, Section of Theory and Composition.
In 1983, Alfred Gamil obtained his Master’s Degree with excellence from the Section of Musical Instruments, specializing in lute. The topic of
the thesis was: “The musical instrument of “tumbur” (a long-necked, stringed instrument resembling the mandolin) and its relation to
the family of lute.”
Simultaneously, he studied violin since 1987 with Professor Bretzy in a way that made it his main instrument with the Oud.
1990, Alfred Gamil obtained the Ph.D. in the philosophy of arts. The thesis bore the title: “Achieving a number of Arabic Maqamat (gemmas and
scales) of the Turkish Sazenda”.
Since 1996, Dr. Alfred Gamil has been assistant professor at the High Institute for Arabic Music, affiliated to the Academy of Arts. He is advising a
number of dissertations about Arabic Music Theory, violin, Oud playing techniques.
Dr. Gamil is also a student of the famous Abdou Dagher, a violin legend called "malik attaqasim", King of of improvising. Dr. gamil has been
performing internationally for many years and has founded and leads his group Qithara. he also has contributed greatly in performances by other groups
such as Ensemble David and others.