Mohamed Al - Habbash
Mohammad Omar Al-Habbash is a Palestinian oud player, music educator, choir trainer, composer, and cultural leader originally from Gaza, Palestine. With more than two decades of experience in music education, performance, and community arts, he has dedicated his career to preserving and promoting Arabic musical heritage while fostering musical education among children and young people.
Al-Habbash graduated with distinction from the Palestine Technical College in Deir al-Balah, earning a Diploma in Music Education and ranking first in his class. He later continued his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Baghdad, Iraq, specializing in music, before his studies were interrupted by the war.
Throughout his career, he has worked as an oud instructor, music theory teacher, choir director, and academic supervisor. He taught for many years at the Gaza Branch of the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, where he also founded the Gaza Oud Ensemble and helped establish the Gaza Choir. Between 2022 and 2024, he served as Academic Supervisor of the Conservatory’s Gaza Branch, overseeing educational and artistic programs.
As a performer and composer, Al-Habbash has participated in numerous festivals, concerts, and cultural initiatives throughout Palestine. His musical compositions have been recognized in national competitions, and he has received grants from the A. M. Qattan Foundation for artistic excellence. He has also collaborated with visual artists, cultural institutions, and community organizations on interdisciplinary artistic projects.
During the war in Gaza, Al-Habbash worked extensively with displaced children in shelters and temporary camps, using music and singing as tools for emotional support, creative expression, and psychosocial relief.
Since relocating to France through the PAUSE program in 2025, he has continued his artistic and educational work by teaching oud, performing in concerts, and promoting Arabic and Palestinian musical traditions. He regularly performs with fellow musicians and alongside his daughter, Reema Al-Habbash, a qanun player, presenting programs that celebrate the richness of Arab musical heritage.
In 2026, he served as Oud Instructor and Performing Musician at the Oriental Music Retreat in Angers, France, organized by the Al Kamandjâti Association under the artistic and academic direction of Maestro Simon Shaheen. He also founded and directs one of the first children’s ensembles dedicated to Oriental music in the region, leading the ensemble to its debut public performance.
Through teaching, performance, composition, and community engagement, Mohammad Omar Al-Habbash continues to build bridges between cultures and generations, ensuring that Arabic musical traditions remain vibrant, accessible, and relevant in contemporary society.
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