Composer and oud maestro Joseph Tawadros was born October 6, 1983 in Cairo, Egypt. He grew up in Australia and is presently based in London.
Tawadros learned western classical music and completed a bachelor of music at the University of New South Wales, where he was granted a Freedman Fellowship for Classical Music.
In the 2000s, Tawadros studied in Egypt as well with violinist Esawi Dagher, son of the famous violin player Abdo Dagher. During the following years, Tawadros spent three months a year in Egypt and learned to play several instruments including the nay, qanun and cello.
Joseph Tawadros combines Middle Eastern, western classical and jazz and various global music influences.
He has won several ARIA Awards (the Australian equivalent to the Grammy). He won in 2012 for the Best World Music Album. He won the same award again in 2013 and 2014.
Tawadros has worked with a wide range of distinguished musicians from many cultures and genres, including US jazz legends as the late John Abercrombie, Christian McBride, Mike Stern, Joey DeFrancesco and Jack DeJohnette, and performing with world music artists such as sarangi master Sultan Khan, Zakir Hussain, Béla Fleck, Ballaké Sissoko, Mamadou Diabaté, Kazue Sawai, Tinariwen, Richard Bona, Jean-Louis Matinier, Afro Moses and The Gypsy Kings.
Joseph Tawadros performs as a soloist, in small ensembles, with jazz groups and with orchestra.
Discography:
Storyteller (Versilia, 2004)
Rouhani, with Bobby Singh (ABC Classics, 2005)
Visions, with James Tawadros (Joseph Tawadros, 2006)
Epiphany, with James Tawadros and Ben Rodgers (Joseph Tawadros, 2007)
Angel, with James Tawadros and Dimitri Vouros (Joseph Tawadros, 2008)
The Prophet (Joseph Tawadros, 2009)
The Hour of Separation (Joseph Tawadros, 2010)
Band of Brothers, with Slava & Leonard Grigoryan and James Tawadros (ABC Classics, 2011)
Concerto of The Greater Sea (Joseph Tawadros, 2012)
Chameleons of the White Shadow (ABC Classics, 2013)
Permission to Evaporate (ABC Classics, 2014)
Truth Seekers Lovers and Warriors (ABC Classics, 2015)
World Music (Joseph Tawadros, 2016)
Live at Abbey Road, with James Tawadros (Joseph Tawadros, 2017)
Ali’s Wedding, soundtrack with with Nigel Westlake, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Slava Grigoryan and Lior (Matchbox Picture, 2017)
The Bluebird, the Mystic and the Fool (Joseph Tawadros, 2018)
Betrayal of a Sacred Sunflower (Joseph Tawadros, 2019)
Live at the Sydney Opera House, with James Tawadros, Benjamin Northey and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (ABC classics, 2020)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.