Birth: 1/1/1920 Death:1/9/1998
Born in Nablus in 1920; studied at Khalidiyyeh Elementary School and then at An-Najah Secondary School in Nablus; had a passion for music from an early age and quickly became proficient with the oud; began to compose music; in 1939, enrolled at the Fuad Institute for Arabic Music in Cairo, graduating in 1943; returned to Jerusalem to become a music teacher; went briefly to Damascus, then became Director of the ‘Modern Music Group’ at Palestine Radio; later became Director of the ‘Evening Music Group’, which he set up and which gave many open-air performances; in 1948, moved to Iraq, where he had a significant impact on Iraqi music, composing numerous pieces which were played on TV and the radio; established a number of musical groups; in 1953, was appointed Professor at the Aesthetic Arts Institute in Iraq; worked as music teacher in the 1970s; died in Iraq on 1 Sept. 1998.
