Mohamed Abdelwahab Abdelfattah
Mohamed Abdelwahab Abdelfattah | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962 Giza, Egypt |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, academic |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Known for | Contemporary classical music composition, pioneering multimedia music in Egypt |
Mohamed Abdelwahab Abdelfattah (; born 1962) is an Egyptian composer specializing in contemporary classical music and an academic figure, recognized as a member of Egypt's third generation of classical music creators.
Biography
Born in Giza, Abdelfattah obtained a B.A. from the College of Applied Arts at Helwan University. Additionally, in 1986, he earned two further B.A. degrees in composition and ear training from the Cairo Conservatoire, graduating with highest honors. His musical education was shaped by distinguished Egyptian artists such as Gamal Abdel-Rahim and Awatef Abdel Karim.
In 1987, he became part of the faculty at Cairo Conservatoire. By 1990, he completed his M.A. thesis titled "Dodecaphony and Maqamat" at the Academy of Arts, under the guidance of Awatef Abdel Karim. That same year, he was awarded a scholarship to pursue composition studies in Austria, attending schools in both Graz and Vienna. There, he concentrated on electroacoustic and experimental music under the mentorship of Dieter Kaufmann, culminating in a Master of Arts degree in composition from the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna in 1996. This qualification was subsequently acknowledged as equivalent to a Ph.D. by Egypt's Academy of Arts University in 1998. Abdelfattah advanced academically, becoming an assistant professor at Cairo Conservatoire in 1989 and achieving associate professorship in 2003.
His compositional approach incorporates diverse art forms—such as poetry, painting, photography, and cinematic montage—through computer-assisted techniques. He creatively fuses traditional Egyptian tunes with sounds derived from machinery and everyday life. His inaugural experimental music performance occurred at the Cairo Opera House on November 22, 1999. Regarded as a trailblazer of multimedia music within Egypt and the Arab region, he introduced innovative graphic notation with Nine Miniatures for String Quartet, which debuted in Rome in 1999. Furthermore, he pioneered music notation designed for deaf individuals in Egypt and established a chamber percussion group composed of deaf students, presenting Seeing the Sound at Cairo Opera House in 2005.
More recently, Abdelfattah has dedicated efforts to scholarly research, publishing two volumes focused on orchestration and sound creation techniques. His publication Sound Scenography (also known as Seeing the Sound) investigates "Sound Theatricalization & Filmlization," translating auditory phenomena into visual stage representations. He has contributed articles discussing the societal impact of contemporary composition and developed applied musical works tailored for the deaf community as well as therapeutic comic music addressing depression. Collaborations with Egyptian biologists and medical professionals led him to explore how sound vibrations influence physiological aspects such as bone density, blood pressure regulation, and cerebral activity. A therapeutic water-sound piece was performed at Maadi Hospital in 2006.
From 2007 to 2009, Abdelfattah served as a visiting professor at Boston University, and he presently holds a lecturing position at Salem State University. His artistic output consistently merges Eastern and Western musical traditions, promoting intercultural exchange between Western and Arab cultures through his compositions.
Writings
- Abdel-Wahab, Mohamed Abdel Fattah (1993). "Melodic Elements in the Compositions of Gamal Abdel-Rahim." Included in Festschrift for Gamal Abdel-Rahim, edited by Samha El-Kholy and John Robison (The Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt), pages 85–117.
- Abdelwahab, Mohamed Abdelfattah (1999). "Composing with Tone Color." Published in Afaaq, Magazine of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. Supreme Cultural Council, Cairo.
Recordings
- As Short as Possible (String Quartet No. 1) La Tache Alea-01-97, featuring compositions by Gerhard Präsent, Iván Erőd, Herbert Blendinger, M. Abdel-Fattah / ALEA Ensemble
- 1995 – Conserved Ex 256–2, various composers compilation
External links
- Mohamed Abdelwahab Abdelfattah at The Living Composers Project
- The Revival of Abdel-Halim from Al-Ahram Weekly, Issue 626, 2003
- A Spiritual Outpouring: Returning to the Holy Land
- Cappella Nova's Tour in Egypt
- Exploring the Rhythms of Egypt
- AIS West Weekly Newsletter Archive
- Composers listed on creativescentrum.at (1979–2009)
- Perceiving Sound, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat #9583 - February 22, 2005
- Dr. Mohamed Abdel Wahab Discusses Music Uniformity and Kitsch Across Countries and Eras
- Al Farabi Concerto – London concert series initiated in 2005 by Antar Nakshbandi and Oliver Butterworth
- Internet Archive: Works by Mohamed Abdelwahab Abdelfattah
- Ai Yu – Cathedral Choir at St. John the Divine, New York
- Tony Coulter’s Playlist from May 22, 2001
- Photo & Oprisping Collection
- Notable Alumni of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna
- "The Music of Six Continents" – Guest Speaker Dr. Lisa Kachouee
- Egyptian composers
- Egyptian male composers
- 1962 births
- 20th-century Egyptian classical composers
- 21st-century classical composers
- Musicians from Cairo
- Living people
- University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna alumni
- Helwan University alumni
- Boston University faculty
- Salem State University faculty
- Egyptian male classical composers
- People from Giza
- 20th-century Egyptian male musicians
- 21st-century Egyptian male musicians
- College of Fine Arts in Cairo alumni