Munir bachir was
born in Mosul (Iraq) in 1930 into a long established family of
musicians. His father taught him to play the Oud at a very young age. He
then spent six years standing at the Baghdad institute of Music,
directed by Serif Muhiddin Targan. Later he completes a doctorate of
musicology in Budapest.Munir
bachir, passionate defender of Arab music is in constant rebellion
against the misrepresentation of this music and its use for commercial
ends. More recently he has fought to establish his lute as a solo
recital instrument. He travels the world as a true ambassador for Arab
classical music, bringing it to specialists as well as to a larger
audience, restoring credentials to a music that has become debased
though bending to the tasters of colonial nostalgia. Faithful to the
letter and the spirit of traditional Arab music Munir Bachir improvises
from fully authenticated sources. As much creator as performer, his
music is forever evolving, never repetitive. Munir Bashir
died in
1997.
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