About Mukhtar – Ahmed Mukhtar

Born in Baghdad, Mukhtar has been playing the oud and Arabic percussions since 1979. He has worked with many folk music groups and musicians in the city. In 1983, he began studying both the oud and percussion at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad with the Masters Ghanim Haddad and Jameel Jerjis. In 1985, Mukhtar began working with Arabic orchestras and performing on Iraqi TV with a variety of Iraqi groups. A few years later, in 1990 he attended the High Institute of Music in Damascus where he continued his studies of the oud and Western percussions. In 1999, Mukhtar earned an MA from the London College of Music, and in 2003, he received a Masters Degree in Performance with a focus on Middle-Eastern and Arabic music from SOAS (the School of Oriental and African Studies), London.

He is currently teaching oud, percussion and Arabic music theory in many institutes around London including SOAS, the University of London, and the Taqasim Music School. This is in addition to working as the Musical Programs Director for Al-Fayha, an Iraqi television channel.

Timeline

2003 MA in Performance – SOAS, London
1999 MA from the London College of Music
1990 Studied Oud and Western percussion at the High Institute of Music, Damascus
1985 Worked extensively with Arabic orchestras and performed on Iraqi TV
1983 Studied Oud and Percussion at the Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad with the masters Ghanim Haddad and Jameel Jerjis

Roles

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Taqasim Foundation
Founder and Director of Taqasim Music School
Member of the High Committee of the Babylon International Arts & Cultural Festival, Hilla, Iraq
Producer and presenter of the “Solo Program”/”عزف منفرد”, Al-Fayha, Iraqi TV
Former Musical Director – Sleep Song project in France
Former Director – Iraqi Music Week

Awards

2015 Award for Excellence in music composition
2009 Alhambra Award for Excellence under auspices of the Queen of Britain
2003 Chosen to be 1 of 16 artists to have the opportunity to record original work on a UN released CD benefiting victims of terrorism and war
1999 Award for Best Non-Western Musical Composition from the Musicians Union, UK

Discography

2019 – Visions of Iraq
2018 – Music from Iraq
2015 – Babylonian Fingers
2005 – Road to Baghdad
2003 – Rhythms of Baghdad
1999 – Words from Eden
1997 – Tajwal (Live Oud Recital)

Other Work

Author of the Mukhtar Method series of 11 books: learn the oud, darbuka and Arabic Music Theory
Musical compositions for TV programs including MBC, ART, Al-Mustakela and BBC5
Theatre: Music composed for “The Soldier’s Tale”; an Iraqi/Eurpoean rendition of Stravinsky’s classical work directed by Andrew Bigley, performed at The Old Vic Theatre, London, UK in January 2006
Musical Theatre: Music for “My Name is Jamal”. by Algerian Director Abdul Nasser Khalaf
Poetry: “Baghdad Open Sky” Music composed for the readings of dramatic poetry written by Saleh Al-Hamada
Film: “Al-Baghdadi” a film by British/Iraqi director Mayham Riada; winner of The Gold Award at the International Filmmaker Festival

Festivals and Performances

2019 – Taqasim Foundation: Music of the Maghreb – The Mosaic Rooms, London
2019 – Stroud Green Festival: The Secrets of Andalusia Ahmed Mukhtar, Ignacio Monteverde & Lex Musicae London
2019 – Ahmed Mukhtar – Vision of Iraq – Album Release Concert – Green Note, London
2019 – Baroque Music Festival, London – Ahmed Mukhtar and Ignacio Monteverde – Oud & Flamenco Guitar, St. John’s Smith Square, London
2019 – Ahmed Mukhtar & Yair Dalal: Taqasim on Oud – Ismaili Centre London & Cambridge University (Woolf Institute)
2018 – Maqam Moods – The Mosaic Rooms, London
2018 – Borderless – an improvisational concert, Leominster, Wales
2018 – Opening concert of The London Strings Festival with the Veles Ensemble
2018 – FRRME concert (Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East), Westminster Abby, London
2017 – Tainan University of Technology China (Concert and Masterclasses)
2017 – Charity Concert: Common and Kind – International Collaborative Fundraiser, Union Chapel, London, UK
2017 – Ketevan World Sacred Music Festival, Goa, India
2017 – Hill Top Music Festival, Goa, India
2017 – Babylonian International Festival, Iraq
2017 – Mixed Messages: Music and Poetry – English & Arabic, The Old Church, Stoke Newington, London, UK
2016 – Charity Concert: Remembering Srebrenica, St. Ethelburga’s Church, London, UK
2015 – Babylonian International Festival, Iraq
2015 – Baghdad Music Festival, Iraq
2014 – Babylonian International Festival, Iraq
2014 – World Humanitarian Festival, SOAS, London UK – click here
2013 – Babylonian International Festival, Iraq
2012 – Hajj is the Journey to The Heart of Islam Festival, British Museum, London, UK
2011 – Music composed for the Sleep Song Project, France
2010 – General Supervisor and performer at the Iraqi Children Celebration, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, UK
2009 – Kamel Shiaa annual Festival, Brussels
2009 – Babylon: Myth and Reality, a concert hosted by The British Museum, London
2008 – General Supervisor of the Salih Al- Kuwaiti Celebration, University of London, UK
2008 – Institute of the Arab World “From Baghdad to Cordoba: In the footsteps of Ziryab”, Paris, France
2007 – Iraqi Cultural Week, UNESCO, Paris, France
2007 – Guest performer a the Arabic Films Festival, Italy
2007 – Gust performer at the Conference of Arab Writers, Algeria
2007 – Al Mada Festival, Iraq
2006 – Director and performer, Iraqi Music Week, London, UK
2005 – Guest performer, International Book Exhibition, U.A.E
2004 – Guest performer, International Music Day, BBC Radio 3, UK
2004 – Mediternatian Festival, Italy
2003 – WOMAD Festival, Reading, UK
2003 – Festival of Iraqi Culture, Stockholm, Sweden
2002 – Festival of Iraqi Culture, Stockholm, Sweden
1998 – 2002 – International Conference and Festival of Lute and Music, France and Spain
1997 – The International Music Festival, Cambridge University, UK
1995 – Conference of Arabic Music, Damascus, Syria
1994 – International Festival of Arabic Music, Cairo, Egypt
1987 – International Festival, Poland