Anwar Saidi
Cello
⟹ Morocco
⟹ 1st x Cello Biënnale
Born in Morocco, Anwar Saidi began playing the cello when he was eight years old. He studied at the National Conservatory in Rabat and, later, at the École Internationale de Musique et de Danse (EIMD), studying with René Benedetti and Christophe Boney. He has taken masterclasses from Emmanuelle Bertrand and Marc Coppey. Saidi is the principal cellist of the Orchestre Philharmonique du Maroc and the Orchestre Philharmonique du Haut-Saint-Jean, and is affiliated with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal.
With his unique knowledge of the traditional maqamat (Arabian scales), he has carved out a unique place for himself in the international performing arts field, building a bridge between Western classical music and the rich, microtonal traditions of Arabian music. Saidi is renowned for his improvisational skill and the spiritual expressivity of his playing, with which he lets the cello sing like a traditional Eastern instrument.
