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About the Musicians
Here is a little bit about the musicians that will be featured for our benefit concert on September 24, 2017 at the Center for Spiritual Living (5801 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105). The doors open at 5pm and you can get your tickets by clicking here: BUY TICKETS
We hope you will join us! We will have children’s songs and songs of Syria in addition to the performances by the three main artists. Refreshments will be served and all proceeds will go to support SCM refugee programs.
Amal Alissa: Amal started her music journey at the early at age 4 in Syria playing piano and taking lessons where she played many concerts, after high school Amal took the professional route where she joined the High Institute Of Music in Damascus, a very high regarded music school in the Middle East, studied Piano as a student of Prof. Cynthia Alwadi and got her bachelor degree.
Amal was the soloist for the Syrian Symphony Orchestra where she played many concerts with different international conductors, and accompanied Choirs and many International Opera singers.
To continue pursuing her academic dreams, Amal moved to Lyon France to finish her graduate studies in the Conservatoire National De Region de Lyon where she earned her DPS in Piano and Harpsichord with Professor Marie-Annick Chamarande and Marie-Christiane Pinget.
Professor Bassam Bishara: Professor Bassam Bishara, musical Director, Composer, Oud (violin, Qanoun) and a Lead Vocal, was born in Rama-Upper Galilee, to a Palestinian music family. He started his music education at the Robin Conservatory in Haifa, and graduated from the music department of the Hebrew University. Bassam taught Middle Eastern music at the Music Academy in Jerusalem. He eventually went on to teach in private schools and formed a Middle Eastern Orchestra quickly becoming sought after throughout Palestine. In 1983, he was appointed Music Director for Alhakawati Theatre in Jerusalem, where his concerts, music and songs were dedicated to the Palestine cause. He also performed internationally as a soloist, blending tradition and innovation, and forging important musical links between the Middle East and the West, from traditional Arab compositions and arrangements to jazz, documentary films, and orchestral scores.
Bassam has received several awards: the “Award of Honor” for his achievements in linking traditional Arabic music and the music of the West; the “Jerusalem Encouragement Award” for his contribution to the revival of cultural heritage; the “Arabic Radio Broadcast Award” for his contribution in the revival of Folk songs of the land; and the “Arab Women Association Award” (London, England) for his role in reconstructing classical and traditional Arabic repertoires. He has performed in Canada, England, Germany, Palestine, Sweden, and at several universities in the United States. Bassam produced several CDs of traditional music and songs among which a recording of various Arabic instruments that he plays and mix in the recording studio, producing a final recording of “One Man Band”. Bassam moved to Canada in 2001. He teaches Middle Eastern music at York University and is the music director and composer for Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra.
Nader Kabbani: Pianist Nader Kabbani is VP of Amazon’s Global Transportation Solutions. He has been with Amazon for over 11 years and has been deeply involved in Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and in launching the Amazon Kindle and Amazon’s digital music and video services.
Nader holds an M.S. degree in Industrial Engineering & Operations Research and a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering degrees both from Texas A&M University. In addition to his talent as a classical pianist, he is an avid swimmer and squash player. Nader, his wife Oraib and their four daughters live in Bellevue, Washington, and have been long time supporters of SCM.