Background
Hicham was born in Tetuan, Morocco in 1977. He started playing qanun at the age of eight, when he enrolled in a class at the National Conservatory of Music and Dance in Rabat. The class was taught by Abdelkebir El Haddad, Qanunji of the Royal Orchestra in Morocco. Hicham studied at the National Conservatory for four years, playing solo each year for the graduation day of the Conservatory and performing in the Conservatory’s Oriental Ensemble.
Hicham's second teacher was Hassan Amhaouch, soloist with the orchestra of Moroccan Radio and Television Broadcasting. However, the most influential person in the academic musical sphere was doubtlessly P. Mohamed Belkhayat, a Moroccan composer and oud teacher, who influenced Hicham during his intensive weekly private lessons.
Hicham was instructed in Arabic maqams (scales) and also in the very specific beauty of Moroccan classical music, quite different from Middle Eastern or Persian Music. His study at the Conservatory ended with graduation from the Class of Qanun, and the award of both the First Prize and the Diploma of Honor, with the distinction of, respectively, High Honors and Honors.
In Morocco, Hicham took part in several concerts and festivals, the most important being “Le Festival des Oudayas”, annually organized by the French Cultural Institute; and the “Festival of Plucked Strings”, sponsored by renowned Moroccan-Canadian artist and guitar player Said Laghzaoui, during which Hichammy performed with Ahmet Meter, the Turkish qanun maestro and soloist with the National Turkish Orchestra.
Along with Hicham’s regular participation with the Oriental Music Orchestra of the Conservatory, he was an active member of the Quintet of Arabic Music, under the auspices of the Moroccan Ministry of Cultural Affairs, and Trio Shahnaz.
Read more about this topic: Hicham Chami
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