Jamil Bashir

Jamil Bashir (Arabic: جميل بشير; 1921 – September 24, 1977), also spelt Bachir, was an Iraqi musician and expert oud player.

Early life and education

Jamil Bashir was born in Mosul, Iraq, in 1921,^[1] to an ethnic Assyrian Christian family. His father was a singer and a well-known oud player who started to teach him the oud when he was around six years old, and he was the brother of oud player Munir Bashir.^[1]

Bashir was enrolled at the Iraqi Music Institute, also known as Baghdad Conservatory, when it opened in 1936, to learn oud with Sherif Muheddin Haydar and violin with Sando Albu.^[1] He graduated with honours degrees in oud in 1943 and violin in 1946.

Career

Bashir worked at the Institute as an oud and violin teacher,^[1] along with his brother Munir. Among others, he taught Rahim AlHaj.^[2]

He headed first the Baghdad Radio Orchestra, and later the Baghdad Radio Music Department.^[1]

Bashir wrote a two-volume oud method, and was also a good singer.^[1]

Death

Bashir died in London on 24 September 1977.^[1]