Biographies: Medhat Assem - Music Composer

Biographies

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An Egyptian musician born in Abbasiya district, Cairo. He graduated from the Higher School of Agriculture. He learned oriental and Arabic music at the hands of Ibrahim Al Qabbani and Sheikh Darwish Al-Hariri. He learned Western music at the Austrian Bergerin Institute. In 1914, he wrote his first oriental composition. He wrote articles about music in the magazines Al-Balagh, Al-Siyasah, and Al-Risala, and for writing those articles he obtained membership in the Board of the Royal Music Institute. He discovered many talents such as Farid El Atrash, Asmahan, Riad El Sonbati, and Layla Mourad. He was the first to propose the establishment of a private radio station for the Holy Quran and the establishment of a radio for music. He worked as a director of music for the Egyptian radio station from its establishment until he retired. In 1978, he received the State Appreciation Award in the Arts from the Supreme Council for the Welfare of Arts, Literature and Social Sciences. He composed the musical scores for several films including Nadia (1969), Fajr (1955), and A Sleepless Man (1948). He died on 4 February 1989.

• 13 October 2021
• Maryam Nouhy