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Mohamed A. Alsiadi received his B.A. from the Damascus Music Conservatory, where he specialized in oud performance and conducting. He studied with renowned oudist Nadim Al Darwish, the son of composer and scholar Ali Al Darwish, for many years. He performs on an Iraqi oud made by the oud master Yaroub Mohammed Fadel. A regular guest of international festivals both as a soloist and chamber musician, Alsiadi has recently performed at the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, the national auditorium in Madrid, the historic Nidaros Cathedral in Norway, GUST University in Kuwait, and Merkin Hall in New York City. Other highlights include his debuts at Vienna Konserthaus in 2012 and Carnegie Hall in 2015 with The Malek Jandali Trio,  Skoll World Forum 2016, Sydney Opera House, and Richmond Folk Festival. Alsiadi is the founder of The Aleppo Ensemble and is presently working to finalize his new album titled "Music of Aleppo". Alsiadi has also directed several concert series and festivals on Arabic music, and he has developed an extensive and exceptionally varied catalogue of Arabic music recordings. At various international conferences, he has presented research on song forms central to Middle Eastern music, namely Arabic-sung poetry called qasida, and the Aleppian Wasla, a song-form that is one of the foundations of Syrian songs. Alsiadi moved from Aleppo, Syria to New York City in 1996, becoming a professor of Arabic Language, Literature and Culture. He is currently the lead professor and director for the Arabic studies program at Fordham University, and he is the chair of the US-MidEast program at the Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights at Rutgers University. He is finalizing his doctorate in American Studies at Rutgers University and his research interests include Arab-American relations; the impact of Mideast-West relations on contemporary Arabic music and literature; and the diaspora of the Aleppian Wasla in the West. Over the last two decades, he has provided academic leadership, engaged in discussions and offered advice and support to fellow Syrians on civic society, academia and human rights. Alsiadi has been interviewed and been an analyst on TV and radio for a wide range of media sources including PBS, HuffPost LIVE, Al Jazeera ABC, CBS , and Great Decisions in Foreign Policy. Each year, Alsiadi supports concerts for young audiences, and his performance groups offer master classes and other performance opportunities for our public schools and universities. Alsiadi is a dedicated professor committed to educating our youth about Middle Eastern chamber music and introducing students to the joys of the Aleppian Wasla, a traditional genre of Arab music. Alsiadi currently serves on the faculty of Rutgers University and Fordham University in New York City and teaches master classes in the U.S. and abroad.

Biography

 1. Teacher of Arabic Music; Music History; Arabic Music Theories, 1986-1996 Aleppo ; Damascus, Syria Developed and implemented new pedagogy to enhance practice and performance Responsible for the training of both adult and youth students. 

2. Oud Soloist, 1988 Damascus, Syria Recorded with Syrian National Chamber Music Society for broadcast on Syrian TV. 

3. Orchestration Producer and Oud Performer,1988-1996 Damascus, Syria Contributed to Syrian movies, radio, and television productions. 

4. Director of Music, 1994-1996 Zikrayat Arts Entertainment Center Damascus, Syria Conductor of the Arabic Music Ensemble; Selected and hired all musicians. Performed on the oud (lute) both as a soloist and an ensemble member. 

5. Oud Soloist, 1990 Al-Hamra Theater Syrian Chamber Music Society Damascus, Syria Performed Caprice 24 by Paganini, orchestrated by Raad Khalaf, Solhi al-Wadi conductor. 

6. Oud Soloist, 1990-1999 Cairo Opera House Cairo, Egypt Performed improvisation each year of annual conference. 

7. Oud Soloist, Expo 1992 Sevilla, Spain Performed on oud as soloist and with orchestral accompaniment.

8. Oud Soloist, 1992 Conference of the Mediterranean Music Schools Algiers, Algeria Performed concierto of Fikrat Ameroff (Azerbaijani composer) Performed in piano-oud duet. 

9. Oud Soloist, 1993 Damascus Conference Citadel Damascus, Syria Performed Vivaldi concierto. 

10. Speaker ; Conductor, 1995 Kaslik Music Conference Beirut, Lebanon Research Presented: Al-Muwashah al-Halab,The Muwashah of Aleppo.Conducted music and choral ensemble in the performance of Aleppo song forms. 

11. Conductor, 1995 Theater of the Damascus Conference Center Damascus, Syria Led the Syrian National Symphony for the International Arabic Film Festival.

12. Delegate from the United States to the Cairo International Music Conference, 1998 Cairo, Egypt Research presented: Al-Qasida al-ghinaiya fi suriya The Sung-Poetry of Syria. 

13. Lecturer and Performer, 1998 New York University Performed on Oud addressed Ethnomusicology graduate students at the invitation of Professor Mercedes Dujunco. 

14. Oud Soloist and Trio Member, 1998-present New York, NY Participant in various open mic sessions, either as soloist or trio performer. 

15. Lecturer and Performer, 1999 Rutgers University, Newark Robeson Art Gallery 
Newark, NJ Performed on Oud provided overview of Middle Eastern music at the invitation of Professor and Department Chairman, Gloria Merker.

16. Lecturer, ALTA 2006 AFRICAN LANGUAGES IN THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES provided Digiclass – Information Technology and Classroom Materials: A Perfect Match.

16. Arabic Language Coordinator & Lecturer , 1998-present Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures Rutgers University, Newark Teach undergraduate and graduate classes of Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced Arabic language, culture and history.

17."Festival of Near and Middle Eastern Music" The Marriage of Music and Poety Newark Nov 13-15 2001
Department Chairman Dr Joe Grieder
18. Lecturer, 2003-2010 Center For African Studies. Elementary Arabic , Intermediate Arabic and Advanced Arabic.
19. Lecturer, 2005-present SCPS at NYU Elementary Arabic , Intermediate, and Advanced Arabic.

20. 2010-Present FORDHAM UNIVERSITY Full-time Senior Lecturer & Coordinator of Arabic Language & Literature Program Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures.

Developed and inaugurated the Arabic Minor program for the Languages & Literatures department in Fall 2010. This minor will lead to the development of an Arabic Major within the department. Revised existing courses, designed new courses and suggested additional courses to complement existing suite offerings in the department, address requirements and incorporate contemporary cultural events. Courses Taught - Elementary Arabic I & II, Intermediate Arabic I & II, Advanced Arabic I & II, Independent Study in Arabic I & II, Arabic Literature in English Translation I & II, Introduction to Arabic Music, Modern Arab Society and the Media, The Arab Spring In Arabic Literature. and Arab Cinema: History And Cultural Identity. 

21. 2009-Present CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF GENOCIDE, CONFLICT RESOLUTION & HUMAN RIGHTS - Rutgers University, Newark Director of U.S.-MidEast Program
Direct the U.S.-Mideast Dialogue Project, which promotes greater understanding between the United States and the Middle East by increasing opportunities for dialogue, civic diplomacy, and cultural exchanges. The project organizes student and faculty exchange programs, sponsors lectures, seminars and workshops, supports community projects and seeks forums for dialogue and engagement. Accomplishments as Director: - Developed, organized and conducted Spring 2012 Speakers Series entitled, Syria, the Orphan Revolution. - Organized symposium on Syrian Unity: Voices for Understanding and Engagement.This dialogue facilitated meaningful exchange of ideas and debates about the crisis in Syria. - Invited key speaker for Educational entitled: Stories from the Syrian Revolution: Eyewitness Accounts (Homs). The lecture invited lecturers discussing the current crisis in Syria (Spring 2012) and provided eyewitness accounts to the massacres of Homs in April 2012. - Organized and performed as part of the Art of Hope Project: Sounds of Syria: Music of Hope Concert with world renowned composer and pianist Malek Jandali. Concert raised awareness and prompted many in the local and global community to volunteer resources and time to Syria. - Developed, organized and conducted Spring 2011 Speaker Series entitled Social Movements in the Middle East: From Damascus Spring to the Jasmine Revolution. Lectures included debates, 2.0 technologies telling stories on the ground from Egypt and key accounts from citizen journalists as the Arab Spring unfolded. The significant lectures included From Cairo to Queens: Voices from the Lotus Revolution - Developed, conceptualized and supervised in coordination with the Education Director and Publication Coordinator a Special “Arab Spring Edition” of the Center’s student run Magazine The Rutgers’ Humanist. The magazine produced articles written by students in my advanced Arab Society and Culture class as we studied and explored the “Arab Spring in real time” launched Fall 2012. - Coordinated the Arab language edition of the Rutgers Humanist which launched this Fall 2012. - Developed, organized and conceived of The Literature and Art of Hope: The Damascus Spring Writers and Artists Lecture Series, Spring 2010. Series was considered groundbreaking by scholars who study the region as it was the first time scholars in the United States would explore Damascus Spring in the course of a semester asking questions about the role Damascus Spring played in the region.

22. Ph.D. Candidate of American Studies, with a focus on Arabic language, culture, history, and Arab-American issues. Rutgers University, Newark.

23. Visiting Scholar; Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University; 2018-2019.


 Awards

 Publications

  Professional  Associations

  American Studies Association

  American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

  Middle East Studies Association

            


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