Issam Rafea

Issam Rafea is the Winner of the 2010 “Best Composer Award” in Dubai International Film Festival (Muhr Arab) in the film “Matar Ayloul,” “September Rain.” Rafea is the Chair of the Arabic Music Department at High Institute of Music in Damascus and the principal conductor of Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music. Rafea has studied under Fayez Zahr El-Din, Aref Abdallah, and Askar Ali-Akbar. In 1995, he received his bachelor’s degrees in Oud and Double Bass performance, as well as Oriental Conducting from the High Institute of Music in Damascus.

He is also on the faculty in the institute teaching Oud. In Syria, Rafea has been an active composer and arranger for TV and Theater since the 90s. Essam has performed in France, Spain, Morocco, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Kuwait, and Syria, and won first prize in the oud category at the 2000 Cairo Improvisation Competition.