Osama Abdulrasol (Qanun & compositions)

Osama Abdulrasol is a composer, producer, qanunplayer and visual Artist. He was born in Babylon (Iraq) and he studied western music (classical guitar) in the UK and eastern music (qanun or Arabic lap harp) in Iraq. Belgian cultural prize winner 2013 - Gent He wrote music for several projects, for film, theatre, and also several songs. He arranged and produced music for and performed with different musicians from different backgrounds. Arabic, Jazz, experimental, Indian, Turkish bands and more.

He performed and toured

He performed and toured almost everywhere in the world with different groups like the symphonic orchestra of Antwerpen (de Filharmonie) and the Flemish Radio Orchestra, both conducted by Dirk Brossé, with Goran Bregovic, the Dutch Metropole Orchestra, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Lucilla Galeazzi, Claron McFadden, Roby Lakatos, Assala Nasri, Jahida Wehbe, Tom Robinson, BJ Scott, Wannes Van de Velde, Luc de Vos, Dick Van der Harst, Waed Bou Hassoun, Arifa, Olla Vogala, Melike, Oblomow, Izaline Callister, Djamel, Nahdha, Mesopotamia, Weshm, Lula Pena, Elftwelvtrio, Ghade Shbeir, Woestijn 93, Les ballets C de la B and several other groups and theatre productions.

Full story

Osama Abdulrasol is an Iraqi Qanun player, composer, producer, and visual Artist. He was born in Babylon, as a descendant of a very religious family. Because music was forbidden at home, Osama had to learn how to play music in secret during his entire childhood. Obsessed as he was with music, he started studying it virtually - from books, only in his mind. Until he left Iraq as an adult, he could never even afford to buy a music instrument. His father never knew that Osama had become a professional musician.

In his hunger for music he discovered jazz. When he went to Baghdad to ask about it in small music stores, the record seller gave him a cassette with the title 'Jazz' on it, written in Arabic - without names, or a title. It was 20 years later during a concert in Belgium, that Osama would realize that it was a recording of Toots Thielemans.

The young Osama played every instrument he could get his hands on: starting with accordion, going to violin, oud and guitar – playing classical music, folk, rock and heavy metal on them. Not satisfied by that, he learned to play the clarinet and the saxophone – at least, until his reeds were finished and he discovered that there were no places in Iraq where you could buy new reeds.

It was only when he left Iraq that he discovered the Arabic harp or qanun, one of the most ancient instruments. He learned to play this complicated instrument all by himself, and soon they became inseparable. He then settled down as a musician and started his career as a qanun player and composer.

Needing to leave Iraq, Osama came to Belgium. The cultural and musical diversity in Europe, with so many influences and possibilities, opened a totally new world for him, and very soon he started working with different musical personalities such as Goran Bregovic, Claron McFadden, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Lucilla Galeazzi, Roby Lakatos, Assala Nasri, Lula Pena, Wannes Van de Velde and many more.

The young Iraqi boy thus became a cosmopolitan and now plays almost everywhere in the world, both as a soloist and guest, and with his own ensembles.
In 2013 he was awarded with the Belgian – Gent Cultural Prize for his extraordinary musical personality and his cultural achievements.

Osama has played with:

De Filharmonie, The Flemish Radio Orchestra (conducted by Dirk Brossé), The Dutch Metropole Orchestra, Les C de la B, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Goran Bregovic, Roby Lakatos, Claron Mc Fadden, Lucilla Galeazzi, Lula Pena, Assala Nasri, Jahida Wehbe, Mike Massy, Tom Robinson, BJ Scott, Wannes Van de Velde, Dick Van der Harst, Luc De Vos, Waed Bou Hassoun, Arifa, Olla Vogala Melike, Oblomow, Weshm, De Kolonie – muziektheater, Muziektheater Transparant. any many more

Discography:

Night 352 - composition for Brussels jazz orchestra
Black the movie
Rebel - movie
Soil - Netflix serie
The Golden Harvest (documentary)
Osama Abdulrasol Quintet - Jedid - CD
Osama Abdulrasol - Sumerian Harp
Dihya - music theatre
Uum music theatre
78 sky & Rahil - composition for Babylon orchestra
Tempus Fugit - contemporary dance with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Requiem - ballet & opera
Photos in the storm - Music theatre
Luthomania - Peregrina
Jahida Wehbe & Osama Abdulrasol ensemble - Shahd
Osama Abdulrasol - Elarouse
Arifa - Beyond Babylon
Turquaze film
Tri a Tolia - Zumurrude/ Homerecords
Melike - Macar Longdistance/ Harmonia Mundi
Djamel Hamza/Wild Boar Music, Djamel'ntia 'ntia/ Wild Boar Music
Oblomow-Sporen/ Wild Boar Music
Alshwak- Wannes Van de Velde- Djar /Provincie Antwerpen
Wouter Vandenabeele- Chansons sans paroles/ Homerecords
Aardvark