Salim Dada (, born 7 May 1975) is an Algerian composer, musician, and musicologist.

Biography

Dada was born in Laghouat. Salim Dada learned to play classical guitar and the oud, contrabass, mandole, kwitra and percussion. He also studied harmony, Western and Eastern musical theory, and presented several works for guitar solo and small ensembles. Between 2002 and 2005 he prepared a cycle of musical writing (harmony, counterpoint and analysis) in school of distance learning polyphonies with the composer Jean-Luc Kuczynski in France, and the Institute National Supérieur de la Musique in Algiers in the class of the academician Golnara Bouyagoub. He also studied medicine and obtained a medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine in Algiers in 2005. His nomination in 2007 as a Composer-in-Residence with the Algerian National Symphony Orchestra allowed him to create seven compositions and conduct 30 concerts in two years. The music catalogue of Salim Dada spans twenty symphonic works, a dozen scores for strings and chamber music and numerous pages for solo musicians (guitar, piano, harpsichord, saxophone, violin, etc.). He also has composed for voice and instruments of traditional Arab music and for film and theatre. A composer-member of SACEM, his compositions won awards in competitions and were presented at events such as the 57th Bayreuth Festival Junger Künstler in 2007, festival of the Euro-Mediterranean Youth Orchestra in Damascus in 2008, the 7th Arab composers festival "Arab Perspectives" in Cairo, Settembre Musica "MITO 2009" at Milano, "PAN 6" in Amsterdam. In 2010, Terrassa48's tour in Catalonia "Enmig de terra; la Mediterrània", 3rd International Festival of Cultural Diversity at UNESCO, Paris, 4th Perinaldo Festival and Festival “Est Ovest” in Italy. In 2011, "Hommage à la Méditerranée" by Divertimento at the Cité de la Musique and festival "Label Sorbonne" in Paris. In 2012, "Ice Breaker VI" in Seattle and the opening of the 2012–13 concert season at the Cité de la Musique of Paris for celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the independence of Algeria. His works have been played by orchestras and ensembles such as the Orchestre Symphonique National Algérien, Arab Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, Euro-Mediterranean Youth Orchestra, Cairo Symphony Orchestra, Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique Divertimento, Orquestra Terrassa48 de Cataluña, Calefax Reed Quintet of the Netherlands, Seattle Chamber Players, Ensemble Conductus di Merano, Xenia Ensemble and the Fiarì Ensemble from Torino, plus the Orchestra del Perinaldo Festival, Orchestra Internacional “Pequeñas Huellas” di Niños para la Paze, and Conservatorio di Torino. Considered by the press as a bridge between the West and the East, the music of Salim Dada is often referred to as message of peace and dialogue between the Arab-Muslim world and Europe.

Compositions

Symphonic works

Chamber music

Solo works

Takht arabi and traditional instruments

Arabic poetry by Muslims sufist poets fromVIII° to XV°: Hassan Bnou Thabet/ Ibrahim Bnou Ali Al-Housri/ Ibnou Sahl Al-Andaloussi/ Safiyou’eddine Al-Helli/ Lissanou’eddine Bnou’al-Khatib/ Ibnou Nabateh Al-Misri.

Soundtracks

Directed by Ahmed Rachedi, produced by Ministry for Moudjahidines and Mycene Balkis Films (Algeria) Arabic text by Khaza’al al-Majidi, scenography by Hamza Djaballah, produced by Annawares troupe (Algeria)

Music for children

Text written by Salim Dada in Arabic, Italian & French, translate to English, Spanish and others languages. Text written by Lalmi Hadbaoui

Didactics

Musicology

Main music professional activities