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Ali Amr
Member Since: 2013 | Location: New York City | Page Views: 327About Me
Ali Amr Qanounist & Singer
It is the early 1990's, in a small town in Morocco where a very young boy walks into a music theater listening to the voice of his mother singing. His heart and mind are full of warmth, and he knows in that moment, he too, wants to be on the stage. With growing inspiration, he returns home to create his own performance adding all he can find to use as instruments. Ali Amr is a singer and Qanun performer. The development of his artistic style is the result of a journey of musical influences. Growing up in a talented family of musicians meant that different forms and textures of music always surrounded the young prodigy and exposed him to a wealth of music as a child, all of which influenced his creative development. His first foray into learning an instrument himself came in Morocco when he started to play the Qanun at age 5. At age 7, he began to sing, a decision from which he has never looked back. Amr’s musical odyssey continued in Palestine where he further developed his tastes and interests, and not long after picking up the Qanun, he started experimenting with different musical genres, all of which have had a significant influence on the direction his exquisite journey has taken. Amr showcased his talent in various music competitions throughout the Middle East, and was awarded “Artist of the Year” consecutively for the years 2004 through 2006 “one of the most eclectic and diverse performers” ~ Simon Shaheen. He performed at numerous concerts in Europe, Scandinavia and Asia. He was quickly noted for his unique style. In 2006, he was invited by Ban Ki Moon to perform at the United Nations where he earned accolades from leading musicians and music specialists “keep the music fires burning bright like you do” Chick Corea. Since then, his professional career has grown rapidly with multiple performances in world-renowned venues such as Boston’s Symphony Hall, New York’s Carnegie Hall and City Hall, DC’s Kennedy Center, LA’s Hollywood Bowl, Spain’s Auditorio Nacional, Canada’s Koerner Hall & Chang Center in addition to Europe’s most eclectic Jazz Festivals including North Sea Jazz Festival, Istanbul Jazz Festival. “...tonight, Ali's performance truly embodies Flamenco & the glamour of it all .” ~ Paco de Lucia’ This August, Ali will introduce the Qanun in its own debut at the Newport Jazz Festival. “Unrivaled unique artist” were the words of Quincy Jones when he invited Ali to the Festival de Peralada (Spain) as part of the Global All~Stars Group while filming a documentary with producer Javier Limon made to showcase cultural music around the globe. Ali has collaborated with Concha Buika and Alejandro Sanz for “Generación Perdida”, a benefit for the work of Doctors Without Borders to combat poverty in Africa as well as performing for the royal family of Jordan, and the President of Palestine at the White House. Now, after honing his unique sound in performance over recent years, in collaboration with distinguished performers and in his studies at Berklee College of Music, Amr will release his debut album, “Dream”, in October, 2013. It is the fruit of his rich musical and life experiences, with Ali's interpretations on the Qanun and his own vocals, punctuated with sometimes surprising elements of hip hop, jazz, and soul.
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This page was last updated on 2013-06-24.
