Simon Shaheen (Arabic: ????? ?????; b. Tarshiha, Upper Galilee, Israel, 1955) is a Palestinian-American oud and violin virtuoso and composer.At the age of 2, Shaheen moved with his family to Haifa, but spent most of the weekends in Tarshiha, an Arab village in Israel. The Shaheen family is known for its musicality with music instructor and father Hikmat, oud-playing and instrument-making brother Najib, violinist and oud playing William, and singing sisters Laura and Rosette.
I remember when I was a little kid, five years old, playing on the oud, and everybody said,' Oh, imagine if he was playing in Beirut or in Cairo. I heard this constantly every week, but I did not have this luxury.I wasn't permitted to go to the Arab countries and play Arab music. So my only chance was to come to America, and then obtain American citizenship and an American passport, in order to go to the Arab countries and play Arabic music.
2
[on what his musical mission is] It's not about nationalism in the sense of animosity and fighting, but a kind of nationalism that represents the freedom of the spirit. That is what I'm concerned with. That other side I don't care for at all.
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hadutha Saghira
2009
Short
Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People
2006
Video documentary
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Malcolm X
1992
musician: oud, Malcolm X Orchestra
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Sheltering Sky
1990
performer: "Han El Wid"
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Independent Lens
2006
TV Series documentary
Himself
Known for movies
Malcolm X (1992) as Music Department
The Sheltering Sky (1990) as Soundtrack
Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People (2006) as Composer
$700,000
