Musician. He was born in Toshka, Nubia, Egypt. He is considered the father of modern Nubian music. He studied at the King Fouad Institute for Middle Eastern Music, mastering the oud. Later, he studied Western music and classical guitar at the Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome. Next he emigrated to the U.S., where he lived and worked as a recording and concert artist, and taught as an ethnomusicologist in several American universities, including the University of Ohio (Athens), the University of Washington (Seattle) and the University of Texas (Austin). Also he composed music for the Kronos Quartet and for the play "The Persians" (directed by Peter Sellars). In recent years, he performed at major festivals including Edinburgh, Salzburg, Vienna, Paris, Berlin, Montreux, Barcelona, Los Angeles, Monterrey and Festival Cervantino (Guanajuato, Mexico). Performing on the oud (the Arabian short-necked lute) and the tar (the ancient single-skinned frame drum of the upper Nile), along with his gentle voice and original compositions, he combines the subtleties of Arabic music with the indigenous music of his native Nubia. Among his works "Escalay," "Eclipse," "Available Sound: Darius" and "A Wish by Sounds True." Hamza's music has also appeared in movies soundtracks including "The Black Stallion," "You Are What You Eat" and "The Passion in the Desert." He died in Alta Bates Hospital, Berkeley, California during brain surgery.
Musician. He was born in Toshka, Nubia, Egypt. He is considered the father of modern Nubian music. He studied at the King Fouad Institute for Middle Eastern Music, mastering the oud. Later, he studied Western music and classical guitar at the Academy of Santa Cecilia in Rome. Next he emigrated to the U.S., where he lived and worked as a recording and concert artist, and taught as an ethnomusicologist in several American universities, including the University of Ohio (Athens), the University of Washington (Seattle) and the University of Texas (Austin). Also he composed music for the Kronos Quartet and for the play "The Persians" (directed by Peter Sellars). In recent years, he performed at major festivals including Edinburgh, Salzburg, Vienna, Paris, Berlin, Montreux, Barcelona, Los Angeles, Monterrey and Festival Cervantino (Guanajuato, Mexico). Performing on the oud (the Arabian short-necked lute) and the tar (the ancient single-skinned frame drum of the upper Nile), along with his gentle voice and original compositions, he combines the subtleties of Arabic music with the indigenous music of his native Nubia. Among his works "Escalay," "Eclipse," "Available Sound: Darius" and "A Wish by Sounds True." Hamza's music has also appeared in movies soundtracks including "The Black Stallion," "You Are What You Eat" and "The Passion in the Desert." He died in Alta Bates Hospital, Berkeley, California during brain surgery.
Bio by: José L Bernabé Tronchoni
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