Personal Info
- Country of residence: Netherlands
Information
Born in 1980 in the Galilean town of Kafr Kasif, Palestine, the Palestinian 'oud player Haytham Safia has proven a versatile and adventurous musician. Safia graduated from the Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem in 2002. He turned to Europe and particularly The Netherlands, for crossover challenges which included successful collaborations with the multinational band No Blues.
Three years following his debut in the Netherlands, Safia created a well-admired solo album, U’D, which offers traditional Arab u’d phrasing alongside magical Maqams, his unique trademark which re-interprets much of the traditional melodic u’d repertoire. His u’d improvisatory passages (Taqasim,) exquisitely produced, are further embellished with his meditative signature. His revelatory Nahawand track immerses audiences in a brilliant transcendent state. With a true contemporary and progressive approach to the u’d, Safia playfully manipulates recurring themes, underscoring traditional opening and ending phrasing.
Safia’s oud-playing is known for both its precision and experimentation, his unique combination of classical Western and Eastern instrumentation blends beautifully in a playful musically- styled “conversation,”.
Haytham Safia has long established himself as a talented composer with a well-full of innovative ideas, exemplifying his gift for composition.
Source Achievements and Awards
- Years in active
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