updated 4 February 2015
© haraldhoffmann.com

Samir Odeh-Tamimi

Israeli-Palestinian composer born 5 January 1970 in Jaljulya, Israel.

The son of Palestinian parents, Samir Odeh-Tamimi grew up in a village near Tel Aviv. As a child, he was fascinated with the sonorities of the drums and tambourines that were indigenous to his country of birth. Drawn to music from an early age, he studied recorder with an Israeli school teacher, and taught himself to play the electric organ. From 1984 to 1989, he performed with various popular and traditional Arab music groups with whom he toured the country. During the same period, contact with European contemporary music through radio broadcasts led him to turn to composition.

From 1992 to 1996, following a period of two years spent in Greece, he studied musicology at Kiel University (Germany). He subsequently met Korean composer Younghi Pagh-Paan, with whom he studied composition at the Bremen Hochschule für Künste; Pagh-Paan encouraged him to explore and develop his cultural heritage in his music. He also received guidance from Klaus Huber, and studied analysis with Günter Steinke.

In 2003, he was awarded first prize in the Elisabeth Schneider Foundation Composition Competition. In 2007, he was a resident at Casa Baldi in Rome. The following year, he was invited to Istanbul to participate in the “Into” project (organised by Ensemble Modern and the Siemens Arts Program) for which he composed Cihangir. In 2010, his works Leila und Madschnun and Hinter der Mauer were premiered in Germany, with the latter piece as part of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the reunification of Germany. In 2011, a monographic CD of his works was released on the Wergo label (Zeitgenössische Musik series), with support from Deutscher Musikrat. In 2014, Mansúr was premiered at the Salzburg Festival by the choir and members of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

His works often call for combinations of traditional Middle Eastern instruments, notably drums, and Western orchestral instruments. He uses electronics only on rare occasions. The titles of his works, as well as the texts which he sets to music, often make reference to historical and/or political events, including conflicts in the Middle East and the Holocaust.

Odeh-Tamimi currently lives in Berlin.


© Ircam-Centre Pompidou, 2015

  • Solo (excluding voice)
  • Chamber music
    • Ahinnu for three amplified recorders (with percussion) (2001), 4 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Ja Nári for trumpet, horn, bass trombone and percussion (2003), 6 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Li-Umm-Kámel for flute, piano and percussion (2004), 8 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Ratháa for double bass and accordion (with percussion) (2004), 7 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Li-Sabbrá for recorder and percussion (2005), 6 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Shattíla for clarinet, violin, cello and piano (2004-2005), 6 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Challom Kattan for solo flute and large frame drum (2008), 3 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Jabsurr for cello and piano (2009), 12 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Ámál for two pianos (2011), 7 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Duo for horn and percussion (2011), 5 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Ód for shawm and accordion (2012), 12 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • Instrumental ensemble music
    • Anín for eight instrumentalists (1999), 8 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Hutáf Al-Arwáh for eleven instrumentalists (2001), 8 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Ahinnu II for seven instrumentalists (2002), 7 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Bukká for string orchestra (2003), 7 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Aufbruch for string orchestra (2008), 11 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Cihangir for chamber orchestra (2008), 12 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Rituale for orchestra (2008), 18 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Philaki for seven instrumentalists (2009), 13 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • Concertant music
    • Láma poím... for orchestra and oud (2005-2006), 11 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Madih for four Arabic instruments and chamber ensemble (2007), 11 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Madjnun for recorder and string orchestra (2009), 15 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • Vocal music and instrument(s)
    • Hálatt-Hissár for a narrator and 31 instrumentalists (2003-2004), 14 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Námi for soprano and five instrumentalists (2004), 6 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Gdadrója for three sopranes and 43 musicians (2004-2005), 9 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • shira shir for baritone and orchestra (2006), 7 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Challomot [Träume] for voice, recorder, trombone, piano and percussion (2007-2008), 27 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Hinter der Mauer for four soloists, chamber choir and chamber orchestra (2009-2010), 1 h 4 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Leila und Madschnun for countertenor, actors, chamber choir and large ensemble (2010), Ricordi Berlin
    • Madjnun II for recorder and male choir (2009-2010), 15 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Garten der Erkenntnis for six voices and two trombones (2010-2011), 11 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Headlands for soprano and five instrumentalists (2013), Ricordi Berlin
    • Huwa for baritone and three instruments (2013), 15 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Mansúr for large choir, four brass and two percussionists (2014)
  • A cappella vocal music
  • 2014
    • elec Jarich for three female voices and electronics, 10 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Mansúr for large choir, four brass and two percussionists
  • 2013
    • Headlands for soprano and five instrumentalists, Ricordi Berlin
    • Huwa for baritone and three instruments, 15 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
    • Hinter der Mauer for four soloists, chamber choir and chamber orchestra, 1 h 4 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Leila und Madschnun for countertenor, actors, chamber choir and large ensemble, Ricordi Berlin
    • Madjnun II for recorder and male choir, 15 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Uffukk for cello, 9 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • 2009
    • Jabsurr for cello and piano, 12 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Madjnun for recorder and string orchestra, 15 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Philaki for seven instrumentalists, 13 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • 2008
    • Aufbruch for string orchestra, 11 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Challom Kattan for solo flute and large frame drum, 3 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Challomot [Träume] for voice, recorder, trombone, piano and percussion, 27 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Cihangir for chamber orchestra, 12 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Rituale for orchestra, 18 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Skiá for piano, 10 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Tamáni for cello, 12 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • 2007
    • Madih for four Arabic instruments and chamber ensemble, 11 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • 2006
  • 2005
    • Gdadrója for three sopranes and 43 musicians, 9 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Li-Sabbrá for recorder and percussion, 6 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Rojagdád for three sopranes, alto and countertenor, 4 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Shattíla for clarinet, violin, cello and piano, 6 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • 2004
    • Hálatt-Hissár for a narrator and 31 instrumentalists, 14 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Li-Umm-Kámel for flute, piano and percussion, 8 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Námi for soprano and five instrumentalists, 6 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Ratháa for double bass and accordion (with percussion), 7 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • 2003
    • Bukká for string orchestra, 7 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Ja Nári for trumpet, horn, bass trombone and percussion, 6 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Zikkrá for percussion, 6 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • 2002
    • Ahinnu II for seven instrumentalists, 7 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • 2001
    • Ahinnu for three amplified recorders (with percussion), 4 mn, Ricordi Berlin
    • Hutáf Al-Arwáh for eleven instrumentalists, 8 mn, Ricordi Berlin
  • 1999
    • Anín for eight instrumentalists, 8 mn, Ricordi Berlin

Liens Internet

Discographie

  • Samir Odeh-Tamimi, Madjnun IIJabsurrAhinnu II ; Shira Shir ; Philaki ; Garten der Erkenntnis ; Gdadrója, 1 cd Wergo, WER 6582 2, 2010.