UAE: Egyptian musician Omar Khairat named cultural figure of the year at Sheikh Zayed Book Awards – News

He will be honored for his musical compositions that have contributed to shaping the collective cultural consciousness of the Arab region

The Sheikh Zayed Book Awards (SZBA) announced on Monday that, for the 17th edition, renowned Egyptian musician Omar Khairat has been honored with the cultural personality of the year.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, the awards are organized by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Center (ALC), which is part of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism ( DCT Abu) Dhabi). Khairat will be honored for an outstanding, decades-long career of timeless music that has contributed to shaping the collective cultural consciousness of the Arab region.

The SZBA board of directors approved the decision of the scientific committee to choose Khairat as cultural figure of the year in recognition of his extraordinary talent and artistic work, which is very popular in the Arab world and has appeared in musical introductions to films and many plays.

Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi has established itself as a thriving cultural and creative hub through its many initiatives, such as Sheikh Zayed’s support and promotion of arts and other creative disciplines. Book Award. Each year, the Cultural Figure of the Year award recognizes an outstanding individual who has contributed to the advancement of Arab culture and the promotion of peaceful coexistence. Omar Khairat. His relentless drive for excellence and innovation has seen an artist immeasurably impact the music industry and the wider cultural landscape, and facilitate important cross-cultural dialogue. His passion Reflecting Abu Dhabi’s vision to foster creativity and harness the power of the arts to build bridges and transcend borders.”

Dr Ali bin Tamim, Secretary General of SZBA and Chairman of ALC, said: “The Sheikh Zayed Book Prize is dedicated to honoring outstanding artistic and intellectual figures whose outstanding contributions to cultural movements are sure to resonate with generations to come. Musician Omar Khairat Definitely one of them. His music always inspires deeper meaning and emotion, with the signatures of our culture in the notes, and his ability to masterfully blend our culture with other cultures to create timeless masterpieces , these masterpieces will forever be etched in our memories and our identities.”

Omar Ali Mahmoud Khairat was born in Cairo in 1947 into an art-loving family. With a passion for the piano, Khairat was one of the first students to graduate from the prestigious conservatory, and apart from studying music theory, he also studied piano with Italian professor “Caro”. He then went on to study music composition at Trinity College London, where he developed his independent musical personality and established himself as a professional composer, formulating his own musical vision with unique musical phrases.

Early in his career, Khairat joined Les Petits Chats, an Egyptian rock band formed in the 1960s. He also played drums in various groups, which had a notable influence on his music, evident in compositions such as his creations “The Maid” and “Arabic Rhapsody”. The soundtrack to the 1983 film “The Night Fatima Was Arrested” first introduced Hairat to the public.

As Khairat’s career developed, he composed scores and scores for many series, mixing Western orchestral music with Eastern melodies, using Western instruments such as piano, xylophone, clarinet, oboe and saxophone, and Eastern instruments such as accordion, lute , canon and violin. His best-known works include The Case of Uncle Ahmed, Me and the Scrooge, The Conscience of Abrahikmat, Quish and The Night of the Arrest of Fatima.

Khairat pioneered the reinterpretation of songs written by Mohammed Abdel Wahab, including “Inta Omri” and “Emta Iz-Zaman Yesmah”, adding his own unique style. Abdul Wahab even thanked him for the reinterpretation, describing it as the most beautiful gift he has ever received.

Khairat has received dozens of Egyptian and Arab awards and certificates for his work, including the Golden Knight Award from the Egyptian Broadcasting Union in 2001 for the song “Al Masri” by Scott H. Nassour). In 2003, he won the Egyptian Film Oscar Award from the Egyptian Film Art Association for the film “Mafia”; in 2005, he won the Audience Choice Award for Best Soundtrack of the “Agent 1001” series.