Maruan Betawi

"Ever since my childhood I was fascinated of the Oud with it’s natural wood colors and the beautiful round shape. The 6 double strings that refine and increase the sound give the player a variety of choices while playing.
I have great respect towards this instrument, as it exists for about 2500 years."

Maruan Betawi

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About Maruan

Maruan was born in Irbid, Jordan. Growing up in a multicultural family, Palestinian father and German mother, granted him access to the different musical influences of the world. At the age of 10 he started his own music journey by learning the basics on the piano. He found his true musical calling when he started studying the Oud (Arabic Lute) in 1995. A number of competitions and school concerts followed, distinguishing the young talent.
In 1999, Maruan Betawi joined the National Music Conservatory in Amman, Jordan, bringing him a series of remarkable concert opportunities. Worth mentioning are:
yearly concerts organized by the National Music Conservatory on various notable stages and arenas; his collaboration with ‘Al Hannuna’ Group (Palestinian Folk music), lasting 2 years and counting several events; his participation at ‘Ethno’ summer camp for International music, in Falun, Sweden, granting him first prise; 2 concert collaboration with a Japanese Jazz Group at the Jarash Festival;
In 2005, Maruan Betawi moved to Germany where he started studying engineering. He consistently kept in touch with the world of music and in 2006 joined local band ‘Los Locos’, performing a mix of latin and pop music with Arabic touches. They soon received recognition and were invited to perform in a series of concerts at the Deggendorf Applied Sciences University and different locations in the area. This experience introduced Maruan Betawi to the world of Flamenco music, thus beginning to deepen his knowledge in guitar playing.
After moving to Munich in 2010 he continued to acquire various contacts within the local music scene. He got to perform during an art exhibition organized by the University of Passau.

Projects

In 2012, Maruan Betawi (Oud/Guitar) joined forces with Ismael Betawi (Violin/Cajon), Marliese Glück (Percussion) and Oliver Nözel (Flamenco Guitar) and put all of their creative focus in a new musical project, MAQAMUNDO.
MAQAMUNDO draws from the richness of the Arabic music by performing well-known pieces and further improving its repertoire with Maruan Betawi’s own compositions.

Western music influences inspired the group to follow new ways, intertwining Flamenco sounds with the Arabic character of the Oud.
Since then, Maruan Betawi performed several concerts with MAQAMUNDO in Munich. The most relevant of them being:
- July 2012, at the Gasteig Philharmonic Munich; Germany - November 2012, ‚EineWeltHaus’; Munich - Germany
- December 2012, ‘Taqsim’ Studio; Munich - Germany
- February 2013, ‚EineWeltHaus’; Munich - Germany
In April 2013, Maruan Betawi moved to Abu Dhabi/ UAE and is currently working on new musical opportunities in the region. He still kept his ties to the MAQAMUNDO project and they are planning new and improved performances.
- December 2014 Gasteig, BlackBox - Munich - Germany
- September 2015 at 1971 - Design Space - "Garden After" - Sharjah - UAE
Spoken word and Oud performance with Farah Chamma and Ahmad Molham Makki.
- December 2015 New York University - Abu Dhabi - UAE
With Farah Chamma At NYUAD with Farah Chamma, Eleftheria Togia and Ahmad Molham Makki.
- May 2016 Abu Dhabi Warehouse 421 - Parting words at „Departure Exhibition“ Improvisation together with spoken words.
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