Omar Abuelhana · al-ʿūd
I listen. I breathe. I become.
I began playing the oud in Cairo in 2014 with Mustafa Al-Sabbagh, studying with him until 2016. From 2016 to 2017, I continued my studies at Bayt Al-Oud Al-Arabi with Tarek Al-Azhary. In 2017, I began studying with Hazem Shaheen, a relationship that continued until 2023 and became a defining part of my development.
Alongside this journey, I completed my Oud Diploma at the Higher Institute of Arabic Music with honors. My playing is deeply rooted in Arabic music, maqam and improvisation, while my work as a composer has gradually expanded the way I approach the oud and its possibilities.
Today, I perform both as a solo oud player and as co-founder of Sirico, my duo with pianist Omar Shendy. Through Sirico, I bring the Egyptian and Arabic repertoire I grew up with into dialogue with the classical concert setting, while keeping improvisation and the character of the oud at the heart of my playing.