About

Bassam Halaka – Biography

Bassam Halaka, BA, BA, MA (also known professionally until 2009 as Bassam Noureddien; born April 6, 1977, in Al-Jahra, Kuwait), is an Austrian-Egyptian composer, conductor, multi-instrumentalist, sound artist, multimedia producer, and music educator. His extensive catalogue spans orchestral, chamber, choral, piano, electronic, electroacoustic, and audio-visual installation works, which have been performed across 25 countries spanning Europe, America, Asia (including performances in Shanghai, China, and Japan), and the Middle East.

Early Musical Roots and Education in Egypt

  • Halaka began his musical training with piano lessons at age five in Kuwait, later teaching himself acoustic guitar at age 15 upon moving to Cairo.
  • By age 16, he was performing actively on guitar, expanding to the bass guitar at 17, and performing extensively with jazz formations and Egyptian pop artists in Cairo.
  • At age 18, he entered the Faculty of Music Education at Helwan University in Cairo, majoring in cello, piano, guitar, and voice.
  • Immersed in music theory and performance, he studied cello under Mahmoud Abdelmaksoud and bass guitar techniques with Ahmed Anwer.
  • Demonstrating an early aptitude for composition, he wrote his first string quartet at age 19 and his first violin sonata at 20, winning his first composition prize from the Faculty in 1998.
  • In 1999, he joined the Cairo Opera House as a tenor chorister and was a founding member of the A Cappella Choir, which evolved into the principal choir of the Cairo Symphonic Orchestra.
  • He graduated with a Bachelor of Music Education in Cello and Piano in 2002.

Conservatoire Studies & International Exchange

  • Following his undergraduate studies, Halaka entered the Cairo Conservatoire (Academy of Arts) in the Department of Composition and Conducting, graduating with distinction.
  • There, he studied under leading Middle Eastern composers and theorists, including Ahmed El-Saedi, Awatif Abdel-Kareem, and Rageh Daoud.
  • As an extension of his conservatory work, Halaka was selected to join the Egyptian team for the Global-Interplay symposia, workshops, and concerts organized by Musik der Jahrhunderte, mentored by Amr Okba.
  • This intercultural program included residencies in Cairo, Berlin, and Stuttgart, allowing him to collaborate closely with contemporary composers such as Walter Zimmermann and Oliver Schneller.

Artistic Leadership, Major State Awards, and Recognition

Throughout his career, Halaka has received prestigious official state awards and honors from major cultural and educational institutions:

  • State Encouragement Award in Arts (جائزة الدولة التشجيعية في الفنون): Awarded by the Supreme Council of Culture in Egypt (2014) in the field of musical composition for his work Ultras for Electric Cello and Live Electronics.
  • State Composition Prizes & Jury Honors: Multiple composition and jury awards from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Culture, including the First Prize for Composition in 2003 (for his Egyptian Suite), a Special Jury Prize in 2005, and the First Prize for Composition in 2007.
  • The Jamal Abdel Rahim Composition Prize: Awarded by the Egyptian Youth Society for his choral works for children.
  • International Humanitarian Recognition: Recipient of the 2015 IBM Volunteer Excellence Award (presented by IBM Chairman and CEO Ginni Rometty) for his co-founding role in developing a pioneering German language training and integration initiative for refugee students in Vienna, Austria.
  • Between 2006 and 2009, he served as Executive Manager, Assistant Conductor, and Electronic Music Supporter for the Egyptian Philharmonic Society and its Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra under Maestro Ahmed El-Saedi.
  • In 2008, he founded the Cairo Ensemble for Contemporary Music, pioneering a dedicated platform for modern art music in the Middle East. He also taught counterpoint, harmony, score reading, and ear training as an assistant lecturer at the Cairo Conservatoire.
  • European Transition and Austria Career
  • In 2009, Halaka relocated to Austria, undertaking master’s studies at the Josef Haydn Konservatorium in Eisenstadt (obtaining his artistic diploma with top honors) and later earning his Master of Arts in Computer Music from the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (IEM), with his master’s thesis focusing on a concerto grosso for 24 loudspeakers (Divide et Impera).
  • Immersed in the European contemporary music scene, he expanded into multimedia production, interactive live electronics, and graphical notation-to-MIDI programming.
  • He collaborated on international contemporary opera projects like RES (by Maria Gabriella Zen) alongside the International Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and the Eu-Art-Network.
  • Bridging European structure with Middle Eastern aesthetics, Halaka developed his unique artistic philosophy encapsulated by his concept of uniting two musical souls in one body.
  • He is the founder and president of the Österreichische Gesellschaft für Computermusik (ÖGCM) and an active member of the Austrian Composers Association (ÖKB), the Austrian Society for Contemporary Music (ÖGZM), and other international new music societies.

Specific IT Skills & Technical Expertise

  • Certified ECDL Advanced Expert & IT Qualifications: Certified as an ECDL Advanced Expert and Computing Specialist through the ÖGC, alongside hands-on IT certifications including iOS app development and database management.
  • Operating Systems: Proficient in administration, troubleshooting, and configuration across macOS, Linux OS, Microsoft Windows, iOS, and Android.
  • Programming Languages & Scripting: Highly experienced in algorithmic composition and software programming utilizing Max/MSP, Pure Data, SuperCollider, Python, Swift (for iOS), HTML/HTML5, JavaScript, PHP 5.4, MySQL 5.5, AJAX, and ActionScript.
  • Audio Engineering & Digital Audio Workstations (DAW): Advanced command of Logic Pro X, Ableton Live, Max for Live, Pro Tools, Cubase, FL Studio, Final Cut Pro X, Kontakt 8, MainStage 3, Sibelius (1-8), Audacity, and Sound Forge.
  • Graphics, Web Design & LMS Administration: Skilled in the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition), WordPress, Mobirise, and the administration and didactic design of Learning Management Systems with a specialized focus on Moodle.

Research Projects & Theoretical Frameworks

  • Sudoku Algorithmic Composition Theory (SACT) (2014–2017): Developed at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, this methodology explores the translation of numerical logic grids into automated generative compositional structures.
  • Multichannel Ambisonic Composition (2016–2018): Advanced spatial audio research at the Institute for Electronic Music and Acoustics (IEM) in Graz, focusing on immersive 3D sound diffusion fields and spatialized electroacoustic performance.
  • Using Arabic Maqams as Microtonal Material (2004–2010): Exhaustive structural research conducted in Cairo regarding the synthesis of traditional microtonal Arabic tetrachords and maqamat within contemporary Western spectral and serial composition techniques.
  • Pedagogic Method for Teaching Electronic Music to Composers (2018–Present): Ongoing private pedagogical research establishing structured curricula for introducing acoustic composers to live electronics, digital signal processing (DSP), and MIDI routing workflows.
  • Graphics-to-MIDI Programming (2009): Programmed automated graphical-notation-to-MIDI translation software to realize contemporary operatic scores (such as Maria Gabriella Zen’s opera RES).

Teaching Milestones & Pedagogical Career

  • Certified Adult Education & Language Pedagogy: Holds an ISO/IEC 17024 certification as a qualified adult educator and Fachtrainer, alongside official ÖIF teaching credentials and examiner licenses for German integration courses spanning levels A1 through B2 (including Alpha coursework).
  • Vocational Training & Integration Coaching (2022–Present): Designed and delivered training modules, communication labs, and official examination simulations for integration and job market placement programs at institutions including update training GmbH, Mentor GmbH (Jugendcollege #advanced and #basic), and the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF).
  • IT & Digital Literacy Instruction (2012–2022): Conducted professional ECDL, web development, and programming courses (Python, C#, HTML/JS) across prominent Austrian educational institutions, including Plativio modern training, ipcenter.at, ZIB-Training, and the BFI.
  • Conservatory and Academic Lecturing (2006–2010): Served as a university lecturer at the Cairo Conservatoire (Academy of Arts), teaching Harmony, Counterpoint, General Bass, Solfège, and Ear Training, alongside holding a post as choir director and lecturer at the Pädagogische Hochschule Burgenland.
  • Musical Pedagogy & Youth Ensembles (2010–Present): Active as a private and institutional instrumental instructor teaching classical guitar, cello, piano, and vocal coaching at cultural institutions such as the Musisches Zentrum Wien and regional music schools in Burgenland.

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