Sayed darwish biography

CAIRO – 17 March 2020: As Arabic music continues to develop in different hues and colors; one iconic music composer that still resonates in the sphere of music productions is Sayed Darwish, whose warm memories revive on his birthday on March 17.

Born in 1892, the ambitious singer was raised among seven children and used to work as a bricklayer to provide for his family. He was discovered by a manager of a theatrical troupe who overheard him singing while working and decided to hire him.

Dying at the dawn of his striking career at age 31, Darwish has pursued his career amid touring in Syria where he embarked musical education and has later returned to Egypt where he was rarely recognized as he sang in coffee shops before the Great War.

Despite his limited recognition at the time, Darwish was given the opportunity to collaborate with the significant composers of that century after being trained to be a ‘Munshid’ (Cantor).