Solhi al Wadi

Solhi al-Wadi was an Iraqi-born musician, conductor, composer, educator and director, who lived most of his life in Damascus, Syria. He was born in 1934 in Baghdad to an Iraqi father and a Jordanian mother, who moved to live in Damascus, Syria, when he was a child. He studied violin and composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London and returned to Damascus in 1960. He founded the Arab Institute of Music and the High Institute of Music and Theater in Syria, and supported many young musicians and artists. He also founded the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra and conducted it in many countries. He composed many works for various instruments and ensembles, as well as songs and film scores. He was a pioneer of modern and artistic music in the Arab world and had a loyal fan base across the Middle East. He died in 2007 after a heart attack.