From the South by Sudanese Composer Ali Osman (1958-2017)

From the South
A two-movement piece for solo flute, strings and marimba, From the South illustrates Ali Osman’s imaginative use of instruments. Following in the footsteps of his teacher, Gamal Abdel Rahim, he embraced the idea of ​​nationalism in music, combining the aesthetics of Sudanese traditional music with his extensive knowledge of contemporary music composition. Rather than using specific Sudanese folk melodies in this work, Osman incorporates characteristics such as pentatonic patterns with folk rhythms, including the popular mardoum rhythm of Western Sudan





Sudanese Classical Composer
Ali Osman (1958-2017)

By Ahmed A Rahman

Ali Osman (1958-2017) is a highly significant Sudanese composer of orchestral, chamber and vocal works but most of his compositions have never found their way to concert halls. Osman’s musical life began in 1971 as a self-taught rock musician, playing guitar and drums. Realising the limitations of being self-taught, he sought tuition in a Conservatoire overseas, where he would be able to study Western music. He moved to Egypt in 1978, where, at the Academy of Arts, Cairo Conservatoire, he studied double bass (diploma 1982) and composition (BMus with distinction, 1986). For his MMus (1990), he wrote a dissertation on ‘The prevailing rhythmic modes in eastern and western Sudan and their role in distinguishing the music of these regions’. He then gained a PhD in composition in 2009. Among his honours were the Third Prize in the 1995 Abu Bakr Khairat competition, for his Song for Chamber Orchestra.

Osman’s research specialism was music from Sudan. His publications, with Samha El-Kholy et al, included a book series on Egyptian Contemporary Music (2000-2003, Ministry of Culture, Cairo). He lectured in 1990 at the Cairo Conservatoire, and from 1999 at The Higher Institute of Arabic Music of the Academy of Arts, Cairo. Among his most significant achievements was his strong influence on the community, through his work as Artistic Director of the Al Nour Wal Amal (Light and Hope) Orchestra (2001-2017). This was an ensemble of visually impaired and blind women musicians. Ali Osman was embraced by Egypt for his new vision in composition, sitting alongside other third-generation Egyptian composers: Baligh Hamdi, Rageh Daoud and Omar Khayrat.

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