TAISEER ELIAS - OUD & VIOLIN

A master of both Eastern and Western music, oud and violin artist Taiseer Elias performs worldwide. He is founder/conductor of the first Orchestra of classical Arabic Music in Israel, and currently the musical director and conductor of the Arab-Jewish orchestra of the JMAD & the Music center in Jerusalem. Elias has recorded with a number of ensmbles including White Bird, Bustan Abraham, Ziryab Trio (of which he is the musical director), Menachem Wiesenberg & Tabea Zimmermann (“The Malta Concert” – Classics Live) and others. He has also composed music for theater and films.
His Ph.D. reveals “The Latent Regularity in Improvisation of Instrumental Arab Music (taqasim) in Israel , in Terms of Learned and Natural Schemata”.
In 2002 Elias performed in the “Olympic Stadium” in Barcelona for 50,000 people which was broadcasted all over the world; and in 2004 he performed in the French Senate under the auspices of its President, Mr. Christian Poncelet.
Elias has performed on the Oud works by Vivaldi, Bach and Pagnini with the Haifa Orchestra as well as works by contemporary American and Israeli composers, most notably Menachem Wiesenberg, Michael Wolpe, Miriam Gerberg who have composed concertos for oud and orchestra especially for him, and the American composer Joel Hoffman who has composed a double concerto for Oud, cello & symphonic orchestra which was performed with the “Madison Symphony Orchestra” in March, 2008. In April, 2008 he will be performing as a soloist with The “Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra”; giving recitals and conducting classes in Middle Eastern music theory and practice in the “UC Davis Music Department”.
Prof. Elias has also appeared with the Camerata Orchestra, conducted by Avner Biron, at the Lille Festival in France where they performed the Concertino for Oud, Piano and Chamber Orchestra written by Menachem Wiesenberg. He has also toured the United States and Europe with a trio (oud, piano, and cello) performing traditional as well as original compositions written for them by Menachem Wiesenberg. In addition he has performed as a soloist with the best orchestras in Israel and abroad ( the “Jerusalem Symphonic Orchestra”, the “Haifa Symphonic Orchestra”, “the Cameratta Orhestra”, “the Sinfonietta – Be’er Sheva’a”, “the Minissota Symphonic Orchetra”, “the Chamber Orchestra of Potsdam” etc.
In 1995 Elias was a guest artist of the legendary Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia during a concert tour in Israel. He has written a composition for Bustan Abraham which was recorded with the participation of world-renowned classical Indian artists Zakir Hussein and Hariprasad Chauarsia.
Elias is a central founding member of the international “Oud Festival” in Jerusalem, and opens it each year with a world premier of original musical production.
Among his other activities Prof. Elias was musical director of several programs for the Israeli Television network, director of Arabic music programming for the Voice of Israel Radio and serves on various artistic committees including Art for People, The Rabinovitch Foundation, The Abraham Foundatuon, the head of the Music Committee in “Ommanout L’aam”.
In addition Prof. Elias is the head of Eastern Music Department at the prestigious Jerusalem Music Academy where he also lectures; a Professor in the Musicology Dept. at Bar Ilan University; the director of the Arab music education in the Education Ministry in Israel.
Elias is invited often to judge in various international competitions for different instruments both in classical Arab & western music in Israel.
He also lectures & performs in various musical conferences worldwide (Guildhall School of Music & Drama – London; Brown University – USA; UC Davis Music Department; Haifa University etc..). In addition he conducts workshops & master’s classes worldwide.
Taiseer Elias Met & collaborated with many internationally acclaimed musicians: Paco De Lucia, Izik Stern, Hari Prasad Chuarsia, Ravi Shankar, Tabea Zimmermann, Wadi’e al-Safi, Munir Bashir, David Geringas, Mohammad al- Mugi, Baligh Hamdi, Abdu Dagher, Ross Daly, Yanos Starker etc.
In November, 2005 Elias has performed in Malta in an international scientific conference in which 15 “Nobel Prize” winners took part.
In June, 2006 he performed in a special concert “ Israel Festival” with the renowned Indian musician “Hariprasad Chuarsia”.
Elias opens every year the international “Oud Festival” with a special “Homage” for one of the most prominent musical figure in the Arab world.
In November, 2008 Prof. Elias is invited to England to perform a concerto for Oud, harp & orchestra by Michel Wolpe, and to hold lectures & msterclasses at Clare Hall College, University of Cambridge; the Yuhudi Menuhin School and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.

The leading figure in classical Arabic music in Israel, Prof. Elias is considered by professional critics, both in Israel and abroad, to be the one of the most impressive and moving musician to emerge from the Arab world in recent years. " As an oud and violin player he stands haed and shoulders above other musicians both in Israel and abroad (Prof. Dalia Cohe, Chairman, Department of Musicology, Hebrew University, Jerusalem).
Due to his extraordinary achievements, Prof. Taiseer Elias was included in the 21st edition of the "Who's Who in the World", and in the "2ooo Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century". In addition he was selected as "The Man of the Year-2004" by the "American Biographical Centre" (ABI).

He is, without doubt, one of the foremost Middle Eastern musicians of our time.