Teachers
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Andrea Mozzato
From Venice to Berlin – A Musical Odyssey Through Oud, Guitar, and Global Traditions
Andrea Mozzato grew up in Venice and has spent the past 25 years in Berlin as a musician and teacher specializing in oud, guitar, and ukulele. He began playing piano and drums at age seven, later learning classical and electric guitar. His musical journey expanded to include fingerstyle jazz under Tim Sparks (USA) and Franco Morone (Italy). Initially focused on acoustic guitar, Andrea’s passion shifted towards the musical traditions of the eastern Mediterranean, influenced by his Greek friends in Venice.
Professional Achievements and Projects
In 2001, Andrea founded the quartet “Galere di Fiandra e di Siria,” performing across Italy, Germany, France, Greece, and Albania. Although he completed a PhD in history, he transitioned full-time to music in 2010, dedicating himself to studying oud and Arabic music.
Diverse Collaborations and Current Focus
Andrea has collaborated with a range of musicians and ensembles, including “Senlemen,” Sandra Nahbian (tango), Mohamed Askaris Takt Ensemble (Arabic music), “Ljuti Hora” and “Saranda” (Balkan), “Bizler” (Persian and Turkish folk), “TONarten” ensemble (baroque), Yair Dalal’s “ULO Orchestra” (Arabic music), and “Liederbörse.” He now primarily performs as an oud soloist, with his expertise spanning from classical Ottoman to Renaissance, baroque, European folk, and jazz.
At the Global Music Academy, Andrea offers Oud lessons for beginners and students of all ages.
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Bakr Khleifi
Oud Player from Jerusalem – Palestine
Bakr Khleifi, hails from Jerusalem, Palestine. He embarked on his musical journey at an early age, beginning oud studies at six under the tutelage of renowned oudist Ahmad al-Khatib. Over the following decade, Bakr honed his skills with esteemed oudists such as Simon Shaheen and Samir Joubran of the Trio Joubran. At 15, he expanded his musical repertoire by taking up the double bass, swiftly earning a place in Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said’s prestigious West-Eastern Divan Orchestra within a year.
Academic and Professional Achievements
Bakr holds a bachelor’s degree in world music, specialising in oud, from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and a master’s degree in music from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv, focusing on double bass performance. He spent six years as a member of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, performing at renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, Teatro La Scala, Philharmonie Berlin, and the Royal Albert Hall.
Music Education
In addition to his performing career, Bakr is dedicated to music education. He taught at the Barenboim-Said Foundation in Ramallah – Palestine, offering music appreciation, theory, and orchestral repertoire coaching to young students
At the Global Music Academy, Bakr offers oud lessons specifically for students with intermediate experience.