(b. 1973, Cairo).
Egyptian composer of mostly orchestral, chamber, vocal, and piano works that have been performed in Europe and elsewhere.
Mr. Sabry studied composition and harmony privately with Aziz El-Shawan in Cairo from 1991–93 and counterpoint and harmony privately with Kamel El-Remali in Cairo in 1994–95. He also studied interior design at Helwan University in Helwan from 1992–96 and there earned his BFA. He later studied analysis with Reiko Füting and Nils Vigeland and composition with David Noon at the Manhattan School of Music in 2000, on the Fulbright Scholarship.
Among his honours are the State Art Prize of Egypt (2002), which enabled a residency in Italy in 2002–03, and First Prize for Composition from the Highest Council of Culture in Cairo (2005, for Movements and Moments in the Rast Mode). His music has been performed in Egypt, Italy, Switzerland, and the USA.
COMPLETE LIST OF WORKS
STAGE:
Daniel in the Lion's Den (opera in 1 act, libretto by the composer, after the Bible [Arabic translation]), 2 tenors, baritone, bass-baritone, bass, male chorus, flute, oboe, French horn, trumpet, percussion, string orchestra, 2003 (also version for 2 tenors, baritone, bass-baritone, bass, male chorus, flute, oboe, French horn, trumpet, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, percussion, 2003)
ORCHESTRAL:
Qambiez (overture to an unfinished opera), large orchestra, 1994
Dark Romance, cello, string orchestra, 1995
Symphony No. 1, large orchestra, 1995
I Will Break My Bonds to the Dream of Freedom (symphonic poem), large orchestra, 1996
Symphony No. 2, large orchestra, 1997
Rhapsody, piano, string orchestra, 1998
Suite No. 1, 1999
Suite No. 2, 'Traditional Echoes', 2000
Concerto, piano, large orchestra, 2000
Splinters, large orchestra, 2002
Beats and Moods, large orchestra, 2002
Coptic Lines, string orchestra, 2005
Verses from a Strangled Poem, string orchestra, 2005
CHAMBER MUSIC:
Three Duets, violin, piano, 1994–95
Trio No. 1, violin, cello, piano, 1995
Trio No. 2 (in memoriam Aziz El-Shawan), violin, cello, piano, 1996
Dance, flute, harp, 1996
Sonata, violin, piano, 1998
Little Suite, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 1998
Sonata, oboe, 1998
Movements, cello, piano, 1999
Love Song, oboe, harp, string quartet, 1999
Variation on a Masked Theme, oboe, violin, cello, piano, 1999
Suite for Three Violins in Quarter-Tone Scales, 3 violins, 2000
Vortex, E-flat clarinet, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2000
Bom Bom, timpani, 2001
Blurred Vision, flute, 2001
Three Dances for Dead Mountain, tenor recorder, guitar, violin, double bass, 2001
The Snow Song, flute, viola, vibraphone, marimba, 2001
Clear Visions, 2 flutes, 2002
Five Romantic Pieces, guitar, 2003
Between the Sword and Love (divertimento), string quartet, 2003
String Quartet No. 3, 'Transformations', 2003
Romance, viola, piano, 2003
Rotated Cycles (vocalise), soprano, flute, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano, percussion, 2003
Moments in the Rast Mode, qanun (zither from the Middle East), cello, percussion, 2004
Octet, oboe, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, harp, violin, viola, cello, 2005
Areeg – The Sweet Scent of Roses, clarinet, ensemble (flute, oboe, 2 clarinets, French horn, harp, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, piano, 2 percussion), 2005 (its 13 movements may be performed separately)
Sounds from the West Shore, trumpet, trombone, harp, double bass, marimba, 2005
Three Glimpses, clarinet, violin, cello, 2005
A dot in the beginning, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, 2005
CHORAL:
Kyrie eleison, mixed chorus, 2002
From Darkness to Light (oratorio, text by Tawfiq Gad), 2 female voices, male voice, mixed chorus, small orchestra (flute, oboe, French horn, trumpet, harp, piano [+ celesta], percussion, strings), 2005
VOCAL:
When the Birds Sing (aria, text by Shenouda Mamdoh), tenor, piano, 1995
Raindrops (hymn), 3 sopranos, small orchestra, 1996
The Rain Song (text by Amal Donkol), soprano, piano, 1997
I Crucified You (hymn, text by Michael El-Komos), soprano, small orchestra, 1998
The Christmas Cycle (text from the Bible [Arabic translation]), soprano, flute, piano, fixed media, 1998
Waiting Cycle (text by Ahmed Abd El-Mooty Hegazy), soprano, piano, 1999
The End (aria, text by Ahmed Abd El-Mooty Hegazy), soprano, piano, 1999
An Elegy for a Man (text by Usama Abu Taleb), soprano, clarinet, piano, 2000
Two Lullabies (text by Mohamed Ramadan), soprano, harp, 2000
Andalusia (song-cycle, text by Ibn Zaidon), female voice, ney (flute from the Middle East), oud (lute from the Middle East), qanun, violin, cello, double bass, 2 percussion, 2003
Rasoui – Dream (4 pictures, text by the composer [Coptic translation by Emad Sidhom]), mezzo-soprano, clarinet, viola, piano, 2004
PIANO:
Three Arabesques, 1994–95
Four Preludes, 1994–95
Six Simple Waltzes, 1997
The Maze (sonatina), 2001
Ages of Sadness and Love, 1998–2002