CAIRO - In addition to being a multitalented musician, this gentleman is also Dean of the Cairo Conservatoire. Allow me to introduce Mounir Nasr El Din, who is going to tell us his story. “I started playing the violin in 1957. My dad, Mohamed Nasr El Din, was a violinist who studied both classical and Arabic music. He had good Italian teachers. My dad was a founding member of Um Kalthoum, Maseya and Abd Al-Halim Neweira orchestras and was head of the orchestral instruments department at the Faculty of Music Education. He loved music and wanted his children to study it, so I have a sister and a brother who studied the piano and I was chosen to study the violin for a reason I don't know, but of course I loved it anyway. The only one who didn't play music is my eldest brother, who is an atomic energy professor. However, he is a very good listener/critic. “There was a German man called Triggerman, who had a music institute where piano and violin were taught. We all studied there, along with some of today's accomplished musicians like Ramzy Yassa and Ezzat Abu Ouf. It was a weekly lesson. “In 1959, the Cairo Conservatoire was active for the first time and naturally I joined it but used to study my instrument in the evenings because at first the Conservatoire offered only music studies, but not academic ones like those we had at school. I was still going to a junior high school and, once I finished, the Conservatoire was ready to give academic studies. I became a full-time student there. “In 1966 I loved the guitar because of the Beatles who were on the radio all the time. My dad got me an electric guitar and an amplifier and I taught myself how to play it. I formed a band with some friends from Ahly Club, which is where we used to rehearse. The band was named The Young Ones, after Cliff Richard and the Shadows' movie. The band became very popular and our standard was remarkable. I went on playing the guitar and the violin until I realised that guitar playing and pop music were affecting my academic studies. So 18 months before my graduation, I decided to quit guitar playing. The last concert I gave was in 1972 and after the performance, while I was still on stage, I sold the guitar and the amplifier. I had no other choice. During this concert I played two Santana tracks and some of the best guitarists were there. “I focused on my studies, graduated, was appointed at the Cairo Conservatoire and became the leader of its orchestra in 1974. The same year I formed Sweet Sound band, started playing piano and keyboard, as well as singing. I was into Elton John and used to sing many of his songs. In order to sing properly, I decided to study in the Conservatoire's Voice Department. After scoring a final grade of 98% and singing in Russian, German, English, Italian, Arabic and French, I was given a hard time by some faculty members! They wanted me to study things that I had already studied as a student in my violin years. Of course there was no need to do so and I also had no time, so, having learned a lot in one year, I decided to put an end to my singing studies. “The attacks were not strictly limited to the Conservatoire, but also in the pop scene my band was fought because it was good. However, this motivated me to work harder. It even inspired younger students to play pop music especially since my band used to play during special events at the Conservatoire. “The hardest thing for me at the time was being the Cairo Conservatoire Orchestra leader. We had a great maestro from Armenia and after six months of rehearsals we performed at the Ewart Memorial Hall in the American University in Cairo and also the Gomhouria Theatre. He then gave me his button as a token of appreciation because I was the link between him and the orchestra, despite my relatively young age. We performed in Germany and Italy with President Sadat who went on a trip to both countries and took the orchestra along. I played to him and Helmut Schmidt who was the Chancellor of West Germany at the time. I played Bach's ‘Double Concerto' with a German musician and the Egyptian/German orchestra was conducted by a German maestro. That was in 1976. “In the same year Sweet Sound started working daily at one of the best nightclubs and, although other bands wanted to take our place, the management was very pleased with us and insisted on keeping my band. My brother/drummer Qadry was studying contrabass at the Conservatoire and was also a member of the orchestra, which we performed with, rushed to change and go quickly to the nightclub to be there on time. “Also in 1976, I was getting ready to go on a scholarship to Moscow but the famous band the Cats insisted on having me join them to play for the summer in one of Alexandria's finest hotels. I played on the Hammond then Sobhi Bidair used to play some chords as I played light music on the violin for the first time. Then I went to Moscow for years and after obtaining my doctorate I returned, formed a violin and piano duo and went back to light music playing. The idea appealed to many and so similar duos were formed by other musicians. “I went to the States on a Fulbright scholarship for a year and I was asked to play a gig with some local musicians and I didn't know who else was taking part and realised I was going to play with country guitar legend Chet Atkins. They were surprised I was able to play American country music that way. Upon returning in 1987 my brother Qadry was asked to form a band to play at the Nile Hilton and we worked together on a daily basis for 10 years at the Hilton and the Semiramis. In 1988 I recorded an album of light music called ‘Golden Violin' and it was a big hit. It inspired many violinists to play the same genre. Sweet Sound went on to play at the annual Cairo Citadel Music Festival and the Cairo Opera House. Then the band shrunk into duos or trios. Some of the band members left the country. However, I refused to be accompanied just by prerecorded music. Our band went on with different lineups. We even had orchestras playing with us on some occasions. Three years ago we started performing at the Cairo International Film Festival during the opening and closing ceremonies with a string quintet. “As for teaching, as well as the Conservatoire, I also teach at the American University. There, my students are like 19-year-old ones who have never played the violin before, but, after only a 12-class course, they can play. I have amazing students at the Conservatoire as well and some are currently working with international orchestras. I became Dean of the Cairo Conservatoire starting the last academic year. Starting next academic year there will be guitar and saxophone as well as jazz theory for those who major in composing.” This man is doing so many things. I only have time to tell you that my email is:[email protected]
