dr Wassim Ibrahim
Wassim Ibrahim (Syria/ Poland) was born in Damascus, Syria in 1978. In 1998, he finished his first undergraduate study in civil engineering assistant at Damascus University; working for seven years on projects throughout the country. Even as his engineering career was being launched, serious musical study was pursued; continuing the passion he had begun at only six years old; playing the recorder and the oud. Concurrent with his early engineering endeavors, Ibrahim began rigorous private study in oud performance with master teacher Fayez Zahr Aldin. Shortly thereafter, he began the study of harmony and counterpoint with Prof. Bella Tagezieva. Committed to completing academic musical study at the highest level, Ibrahim entered the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus in 2005; graduating in 2010. Among his professors were renown Professors Serge Kopperanov (composition), Bella Tagezieva (theory), Victor Babenko (conducting) and Maestro Missak Baghboudarian; Artistic Director of the Syrian Symphony Orchestra.
Ibrahim came to Poland in 2013 and here he completed a Master’s degree in composition at the the Krzysztof Panderecki Music Academy in Krakow, in 2015 under the direction of Prof. Józef Rychlik. In 2019 he got his PhD in Music Composition at the Krzysztof Penderecki Music Academy in Krakow, under supervision of Prof. Wojciech Widłak. In 2010-2013, Wassim Ibrahim started his professional academic career as a teacher at the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus, Syria, where he lectured on music history, conducted classes in harmony and ear training. Ibrahim was a guest lecturer at the Krzysztof Penderecki Music Academy in Krakow – Poland, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA and Wisconsin University, La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA.
From September 2023, Wassim is a lecturer of ethnic music at the Krzysztof Penderecki Academy of Music in Krakow. From 2015 until now, he has been running the amateur Choir in Kontakt, which he founded and which in 2020 was awarded the title of Krakow Ambassador of Multiculturalism A.D. 2019. Ibrahim’s professional work as a composer began in 2002, when six of his original songs, were included as part of a CD for children Stay with Us! His compositions have been premiered and performed in many festivals, countries and concert halls throughout the Middle East, Europe and North America.