Higher Institute of Music in Damascus

The High Institute of Music in Damascus (HIM) (Template:Lang-ar) is a music academy in Syria. The Syrian music academy was founded in 1962 by pianist and conductor Solhi al-Wadi as the Arab Institute of Music and was established in its current form in 1990 by presidential decree. The aim of the institute is to prepare upcoming generations of musicians to perform both Arabic and international music.

The institute trains students in various Arabic and western musical instruments. It also teaches the principles of individual, collective, Arabic and international vocal music performance. Further, it offers courses for future composers and band leaders and prepares researchers in musicology, especially to study Arabic music. The institute has trained students for musical ensembles with string, wind and percussion instruments, for the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra, Arabic music choirs and orchestra, as well as for opera singing. Further, the HIM participates in musical activities both in Damascus and in other cities in Syria. The HIM is housed in the same building complex as the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts and located next to the Damascus Opera House on Umayyad Square.

Notable musicians

• Lubana al Quntar, soprano singer, former Head of the Opera Department at the High Institute of Music in Damascus (2003–11), teaching opera and Arabic singing
• Dima Orsho, soprano singer and composer, member of the Syrian Hewar ensemble and of Baroque and world music ensembles, based in the U.S.
• Kinan Azmeh, clarinetist and composer, member of Hewar ensemble and of jazz, world music and contemporary classical ensembles, based in the U.S.
• Issam Rafea, former Head of the Arabic Music Department, oud player and composer, member of Hewar ensemble and of Arabic and world music ensembles, based in the U.S.
• Lena Chamamyan, soprano singer and songwriter, based in Paris
• Mireille Bittar, soprano singer, based in Amsterdam

In 2004, former graduates of the HIM, who had embarked on their individual musical careers, formed the jazz fusion band Hewar.

Before the Syrian Civil War the institute employed mainly Russian teachers. Among them was V. Babenko, the leading author of a Syrian musical dictionary and harmony textbook.

External links

• Oficial page