Samer Rashed

Samer Rashed

Samer Rashed is a Palestinian composer and viola player from Jerusalem. He graduates from the National Conservatory of Music in Jerusalem and later studies in Istanbul, where he works with well-known musicians and violinists. His musical approach is shaped by Turkish gypsy and jazz music, as well as by Eastern music and jazz techniques more generally.

Albums and compositions

In 2016, Rashed releases his first album, Gypsy Rhapsodies, in Jerusalem. The album contains five original compositions and two covers in a gypsy swing and jazz style. It is described as the first album by a Palestinian musician to place the viola at the centre of this genre.

His second album, Tales of the Gypsy Jazz, follows in 2019. It includes seven compositions and uses instruments such as the buzuq and accordion. The album also explores a mix of upbeat and slower pieces and is presented as a further development of his work as both composer and viola player.

Performances and collaboration

After the launch of Gypsy Rhapsodies, Rashed gives concerts in Ramallah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Haifa and the Golan Heights. His recordings involve collaboration with local musicians, and his work provides a platform for other performers to present their technique to Palestinian audiences. He focuses on composing, arranging and producing music that is intended to combine musical and cultural meaning.

Style and significance

Rashed’s music draws on gypsy swing, gypsy jazz, Arabic music, Eastern traditions and jazz. His use of the viola in this context is a defining feature of his work, and his albums combine original material with influences from related string and ensemble traditions.