People are not after vulgar art; they need access to quality music: Violinist Mounib

CAIRO – 12 April 2021: As the Egyptian audience were mesmerized by the historic and delicate organization and performance of the Pharaohs’ Golden Parade orchestra, musicians have been calling for light to be shed on “quality music,” a type of music that unfortunately does not enjoy similar highlight to what they described as “vulgar” music.

Ahmed Mounib participated in the parade, playing violin and Rababa or “Rebab”, an oriental instrument that was fused in the Pharaoh orchestra, along with the Ney.

“It’s the first time we see such great interaction from the audience to orchestral music, and it was fascinating to all of us,” Mounib said, adding “the state aired the event on all TV channels and different social media platforms, making it accessible to everyone, even globally.”

Mounib continued, “And that’s what people need, they need access to this type of music; they loved it when they had the chance to listen to it.”

He further noted, “wWe do not usually see that seamless fusion of western and oriental instruments together.” At the parade, Mounib was on violin as well as the Rababa, the instrument which he mastered when he was living in Germany, before he returned to Egypt in 2020.

“We need to stop saying that people want to listen to vulgar music and lyrics promoting negative meanings and immoral behavior, because people love to listen to quality and meaningful music and songs; they are just not accessible to them,” he said.

He added, “The state needs to shed the light on quality music like it did in the parade so that people have access to it.”

Universal event

Mounib expressed he takes pride in being part of this highly-organized event, saying that the orchestra included the most talented and professional musicians in the country.

“Many people from Germany saw the parade and the performance of the orchestra, and called me to say it was breathtaking… It is a real universal event and I am really proud I was part of it,” Mounib stated.

Mounib playing Rababa from Germany

The event has seen an unprecedented live performance syncing with the parade. “I have never seen something like that before, and I doubt a similar performance was ever given in any country,” Mounib said.

He also revealed that there were several rehearsals, at least 10, where they had to repeat the performance many times to adjust the sync, all under the command of Maestro Nader Abbassi.

The future is in fusion music

Mounib believes in the power of fused music, especially that he has been playing fused music of jazz and oriental since he was in Germany.

“When I graduated in the Conservatoire in Egypt, I went to Germany, where I lived for seven years and studied violin. I also mastered Rababa three years ago before leaving Germany,” he said.

Cross-border peformance track for Mounib performing from Germany with a band from Egypt

On his experience playing the Rababa in a band he formed in Germany, Mounib said, “People in Germany liked it, because it was different from the instruments they were familiar with.”

He had someone making him a Rababa with the same number of strings (four) as the violin. “Fused music appeals to people if performed well, and audience like to listen to new things.”

Concert for Fouad and Mounib Band 

In 2015, Mounib formed a band with Pianist Fouad called "Fouad and Mounib."

“It was only both of us in the beginning, and when we found a large audience base interacting with us and keen on attending our concerts in Cairo and Alexandria, we expanded the small band into an orchestra,” he said.

“We are planning for new projects in Fouad and Mounib band, aiming to increase our viewership and produce music that people love,” he said, adding that they will hold a concert by the end of May at the Opera House.