Starting at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music at age seven, Palestinian composer and multi-instrumentalist Wanees Zarour discusses his musical journey, he details how he fell in love with string instruments like the violin and the buzuq. The conversation explores his original music group, East Loop, and how he blends microtonal music and Arabic tradition into a jazz framework. Additionally, he shares insights on serving as the director for the Middle East Music Ensemble at the University of Chicago and the experience of Arab musicians in the diaspora.
00:00 Introduction
01:41 The Early Days at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music
05:41 Cultural History & Musical Underground in Palestine
08:19 Childhood Musical Influences and Repertoire
09:47 Discovering the Buzuq
13:49 Introducing East Loop & the Evolution of Silwan
21:40 Exploring Arabic Musical Structures & Form Variations
26:16 Chicago’s Arabic Music Scene
28:25 Breaking Down the Iraqi Georgina Rhythm in Festival
33:02 Challenging Jazz Boundaries with Microtonal Instruments
37:18 The Middle East Music Ensemble
40:23 The Tribute to Ziad Rahbani
42:37 Music as Expression vs. Entertainment
50:24 Connection & Separation within the Arab Diaspora Scene
Wanees Zarour is an award-winning Palestinian-American composer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist steeped in the traditions of maqam and jazz. Born in Ramallah, Palestine, he began his musical training at age seven at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, where he studied Western classical violin and buzuq. He moved to the United States at 16. He is a faculty member at the University of Chicago and has directed the University of Chicago's Middle East Music Ensemble since 2010, growing it into an 85-piece orchestra serving as a national cornerstone for MENA music in America. He also co-directs the Chicago Immigrant Orchestra, a 14-piece rotating ensemble of world music masters, with guitarist Fareed Haque. He leads East Loop, a jazz septet fusing Arabic maqam and jazz. His 2026 album Silwan (East Loop) was reviewed by DownBeat Magazine (March 2026), All About Jazz, and The Jazz Word. He received the 3Arts Award in 2024. He is a faculty member at the Arabic Music Retreat and GLOMUS, and holds masterclasses at universities across the US.
Connect with Wanees Zarour 👉 https://instagram.com/wanees_zarour
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