From Dr. Nuri Bahjet in Baghdad

July 2nd, 2006

Dear Wafaa,

I got your letter dated 5 June, addressed to our friends Bassim and Munir with ccd to Ihsan and myself. Then I got a message from Munir on 5th June and 9th June commenting on the subject concerning the establishment of our National Iraqi Symphony Orchestra (INSO) and mainly discussing the role of Albert Chaffo. It is quite a pleasure for me to comment on this rather interesting subject:


1-The statement you read in an article about Chaffo in the early seventies indicating that he had already introduced the whole country of Iraq to music:

I cannot imagine that Chaffo could claim such a think. Before proceeding further, I would like to give you the following information, which should be helpful to enlighten the question:

During the forties, the activities of the Musical Committee in the Royal College of Medicine (being a member myself), the activities during the weekly or monthly gatherings were preparing lectures on classical music, history of music, composers, etc, with demonstration on gramophone records, and occasional recitals, presenting violin duets, trios, string quartets, and the like. The committee thought to give some information about the orchestra, types of the instruments used and the main deference between the orchestra and the band. We wrote an official letter to the concerned authorities in the army, (please see below) requesting the attendance of half military band from the Royal Guard Military Band, to share in the Music Recital, which is planned to be held at the college on 27th Jan.1945. The honorary head of the committee, Prof. Boswell, signed the letter (which I still keep a copy of). The following is the exact copy of our request:

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لجنة الموسيقى في الكلية الطبية

الرقم

التاريخ: 8/1/1945
الموضوع: .........
سعادة مدير الادارة في وزارة الدفاعارجو السماح لنصف جوق من موسيقى الحرس الملكي بالعزف في الحفلة التي ستقيمها لجنة الموسيقى في الكلية الطبية الملكية و ذلك يوم السبتالموافق 27/1/1945 في الساعة الحامسة بعد الضهر ونشكركم
الرئيس البروفسور س. بوزويل

( التوقيع )-

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2. The program of this humble recital is hand written and poorly penciled was as follows:

A- Welcoming word by Prof. Boswell
B- Lecture by Cap. A.Chaffo L.A.R.M, A.R.C.M, Director of Music, Iraqi Army,
C- Adagio from quintet No. 3 by Hayden (Fine Arts Institute students, names not mentioned).
INTERVAL
D-. Two Violin Duets, (though names not mentioned, as I remember, and as shown in
the poster which I am trying to scan, they were pieces from Jacques Aubert-plaid by
M. Awkati and myself.
E- King Guard Band- conducted by Cap. Chaffo:
Overture Festival,
Oriental Airs
Largo, from the New World- Dvorjak
Carmen, Bizet,
The Royal Anthem
________________________________________________


One can recognize that this recital was a routine thing, and Captain Chaffo was requested to share in it. He was very nice, gave a very efficient conduction of his band and useful lecture. His staff under his conduction presented beautiful classic pieces and quite a clear demonstration of the instruments of their band, (wood, brass and percussion) and comparison between the military band and the symphony orchestra.

3- After he was back in Iraq, was awarded the Worshipful Company of Musicians Medal in England. He must deserve such an Award, possibly as a fine conductor of his Military Band.

4- The government gave him the job of bringing western musical culture to Iraq.
I might admit this claim if any body could give the title or name of such a job.

5- He formed Symphony Orchestra in Baghdad
Why not he gave a name or title for such an orchestra?

6- Started a school of music through which he trained musicians and conductors
The only school of music known at that time and still is, the Institute of Fine Arts, started in 1940-1941; I was accepted in the first year just at this time, together with my medical studies, four years after training on oriental music with simple tutors. Even though it could be well understood that Cap. Chaffo have trained his staff in the Military band on conduction.

7- Dear Wafaa, you enquired about one of Momers recitals, including the name of the composer Boildieu, Francois Adrian,- (Caliph of Baghdad -overture).
This recital was presented in Dec. 12, 1971. The composer was born in Rouen, south west of Paris, wining fame at 25 with the Caliph of Baghdad. The program included, if you are so interested, the following:
A- The above Overture
B- Flute concerto in D major Mozart)
C- First Symphony (C Major) Beethoven
The No of players of the Orchestra participated in this recital were 64
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8- Your enquiry on the establishment of Mahad Al-Moseeqa, I expect that our friend Bassim knows much about it than I do. However, I am copying some of the useful information from a book written by the known painter who died about two years ago, Shakir Hasan Al-Saeed, which I think is worth obtaining.. This information is taken from pages 111 and 128 of his book (presenting it in Arabic):

يعتبر تاسيس المعهد الموسيقي التابع الى وزارة المعارف, عام 1936 , وكان يديره و يشرف على كل شؤنه حنا بطرس حتي عام 1939, حيث استلم ادارته فيما بعد الشريف محي الدين حيدر كمدير للمعهد اولا, وثم كعميد له عندما حوله الى( معهد الفنون الجميلة) عام 1940, بعد ان لاحضت مديرية المعارف نجاحه. وقد بوشر في اول تاسيسه بتدريس الموسيقى الهوائية في فرع الموسيقى الغربية (او العالمية), ثم اضيف الى هذه الشعية شعب جديدة هي الكمان والفيولونسلو والبيانو. اما فرع الموسيقى الشرقية فقد بدا فرع العود اولا ثم اضيف اليه الناي (1938/1939) ثم اضيف فرع القانون (1944/1945). وقد تم اضافة فرع الرسم والنحت عام 1939/1940 , واضيف بعدئذ فرع التمثيل.

ملاحظة: اسم الكتاب اعلاه هو فصول من تاريخ الحركة التشكيلية في العراق

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Wafaa also enquires about a recital, which she has gotten a copy of the invitation cart from me, and states:
The Musical Committee
Royal College of Medicine presents
Chamber Music Recital
Under the direction of
Prof. Walter Jenke.
With members of the Ensemble Class of the Institute of Fine Arts
On Tuseday April 1st, 1947, 9 pm In the College auditorium
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Now, and after exactly 60 years, she is asking me to find for her the program of this recital. Searching here and there among the old rotten papers, I couldn’t find the program of that exact recital; but lastly, I was lucky to see among these papers a program of a Chamber Music Recital, also under the direction of Pro. Walter Jenke, and also with members of the ensemble class of the Institute of Fine Arts, but it was held on Friday, May 9th 1947,at 9p.m.,40 days after holding the first recital. The only difference is that this one is held for the benefit of the Armenian Y.M. Association.. This is the program:

1- Quartet for Clarinet and strings Stamitz
Jenke (Clarinet), Baboukhian (violin), Ridha (viola), Kouymoujian (Cello)

2- Trio for two Clarinets and Cello Mozart
Jenke (Clarinet), Munir Allawerdi, (Clarinet), Kouymoujian (Cello)

3- Serenade Eine Nachtmusik Mozart
Members of the Ensemble Class of the Fine Art Institute, including N. Bahjet

INTERVAL

4- Quartet of Strings Mozart
Aram Baboukhian (1.violin, Albert Belboul (2nd Violin,), Jenke Viola Kouymoujian (Cello)

5- Oboe Quartet in F. Major MOZART
Jenke (oboe), Belboul (violin), F. Ritha (viola), Kouymoujian (Cello)

6- Divert for Oboe, 2 Horns and Strings Mozart
Members of the Ensemble Class of the Fine Art Institute, including N. Bahjet

The other subject raising the interest of our dear Wafaa was what happened in the Royal medical college on 22nd April 1944. The program, which I still possess, states the following; you can recognize that the program is not a pure music recital but included some other allied activities which are interesting to discuss:

الكلية الطبية الملكية العراقية ( الحفلة السنوية)ا

السبت 22 نيسان 1944

المنهاج: ا

1- منتخبات من والز شتراوس (الاوركسترا)

2-رقصة المقابر ادور. عباجي و خليل الشابندر

3-د يالوك (السيد والسيدة اء زيا)

-قطعة موسيقية من شوبان الاوركسترا4

-قطعة غنائية 5.

قنطرجيان -6

- الرابسودي الهنككارية نمرة 2 ليتست الانسة سلف بوغسيان7

-اغنية بحارة الفولغا الفرقة8

- فانتازيا (عزف على الكمان سامي الشيخ قاسم) 9

-عزف على البيانو ا. بحوشي 10-

في مخيم النور ( مشهد)فترة ( عشرة دقائق) ا
- عيادة طبيب (رواية تمثيلية ذات فصل واحد)11-

السلام الملكي ختام

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It seems to me that it is quite interesting to Comment on this (Gathering), presented at about the end of the academic year. One can recognize that it is comprised of different items. Small pieces of classic music, stretched in between the other items:

1- Selections from Straus Waltzes, presented by what is considered as (orchestra), in facts they are students of the fine art institute, only three years after its establishment.
2- Item No.4: peace from Chopin, plaid by Orchestra,( Institute students only)
3- Item 5, a song by Kanterjian, (one of the music lovers),just to show sympathy.
4- You see (item 8) a piece played on the violin (Sami Al-Shaikh Qasim), unaccompanied which is rather unusual, also with Miss. Silva Boughousian on the piano alone, though this is rather usual.
5- Item (2)-Dance Macabre, a famous Classic piece, I don’t remember the composer, might be- (Giacomo Meyerbeer??) The two boys (actors) representing two Satan, their faces blackened with charcoal, two horns stuck in front of their heads, dancing here and there, vividly and energetically round the macabre in a horrible way, following the rhythm of the music presented by a gramophone record.

This might show how our music committee was working, preparing a program with music, songs, dramas ,military bands, all with the intention of expansion of music culture, bringing more music lovers to the committee when classic( western) music was only an infant..

NOW, let us come to the message from Al-Wafaa News dated 9th January, which included Munir’s message to Bassim, and me, which seems worthwhile commenting on. To start with my old friend Munir deserves warm greetings from me, from the City of Baghdad, and also from his strong old roots he implanted here in Baghdad and in the INSO.
Munir stated: there is no doubt Chaffo was the first Iraqi to form a symphony orchestra.

I wonder if he will still say so if he reads the information mentioned above. I feel that not a single Iraqi person could claim such an achievement. This might be true not only in Iraq but other countries on earth. The credit should be given, with various degrees, to so many people who offered genuine work for years or may be for decades. My view, which I present here for discussion, is the following:

Before 1937, the year of the establishment of the Al-Maahad Al-Mouseeki, which started teaching in the classic section wind instruments only, it is hard to trace any Classic Western Music in Iraq. When this Maahad (or Center) was established, it was run by Pro. Hanna Petros who acted also as a tutor in wind instruments in this maahad. (See item 9 above page 128 of the book). I remember in 1935, when I was in the last year primary school, Mr. Hanna Petros coming to the classroom with some of his colleagues, and their wind instruments, teaching us new songs (anasheeds) very energetically. What rate this man deserves? He didn’t establish a Symphony Orchestra; but he definitely has put a tiny, but a strong stone in its foundation.

In 1939, (Al-Sharief Muuhyeid deen) took over the Maahad from Hanna Petros, and in 1940; he raised its standards to the Institute of Fine Arts. He added new classes of violin, viola, violoncello, and employed tutors, Professors from other countries, among those are Prof. Julian Hertz , the famous Piano tutor, and Said Enys Djameel, violin and viola tutor, (premier prix du Conservatoire de Paris), who taught me violin, starting from1940-1941. Those two and Sando Albo, the very serious violin tutor, didn’t establish a symphony orchestra, but they have the credit to teach tens if not hundreds of student who shared in its establishment, apart from you, my dear Munir, and your brother Farid and my brother Ghazi Bahjet, and our active friend Ihsan as well as tens others who many of them have been enjoying their work in the Diaspora,..

I am sure, my dear Munir, that as a professional musician you understand such a question better than me and am feeling awkward to mention this for you. The orchestra was not established with 60-70 players all of a sudden. It was started with simple duets after the encouragement of Prof Djameel, duets on two violins, for the first time in Baghdad in the auditorium of the medical college since the early forties. Two violins playing simultaneously, in a mode of counterpoint, played and appreciated for the first time in the city of Thousand and One Nights.

In 1944, with much regret, the exact date is missing, students of the fine art institute performed on the ground of the Royal College of Medicine, and for the first time, the first violin concerto of Beethoven. The soloist and conductor was Prof. Djameel Said. That ensemble, students of the Fine Art Institute of whom, I was a member on the second violin, was not a symphony orchestra, but it was definitely the long and definite way to it. In 1945, Prof. Said was called for military service in France, left Iraq to be followed by Prof. Sando Albo, who was again may tutor, not at all an easy one and was not less energetic. Now, concerts are more frequent, this new type of music is more appreciated by the public. Cultural institutions from various countries, British, French, Russian, German, Spanish, Austrian, all these institutions shared in performing recitals of various categories, Soloists with various instruments invited from different countries are now sharing in this continuous festival. Lending classic records, meetings and lectures, all in the way of extending music culture in the country.

In 1960-61, the conductor Siegfried Stolte was the conductor of the (growing) orchestra. The number of the players under his conduction in the concert performed on April 8th was only 6, among was Prof. Petros Hanna Petros on the trumpet.

At last, Prof. Hans Gunter Momer, from Germany, appeared from behind the clouds somewhere in the early sixties. He must have definitely received an invitation from muse, the sister goddesses of Arts. He put his feet down from the flying carpet, directly in the city of the one hundred night and one night, to complete the whole picture. Adequately prepared and trained musicians for all sorts of music instruments, practicing for at least for 20 years, now are ready to burst and to be organized as a developing orchestra of the ancient city.

Baghdad flourished with songs, music and music lovers and enthusiasts for two decades, waiting for two Hercules to appear again from behind the clouds, one rising from Mesopotamia itself, the other came from (across the continents), far away, one after the other, enjoying, the distraction, burning and sacking every thing, to compete with their ancestor Nero Claudius Germanicus, the fifth Roman Emperor, in burning and sacking Rome in the year 64 AD.

Note No.1-

Dear Wafa, Knowing that you are so interested in the history of Classic Music in Iraq, I am trying to send four attachments showing some of the activities of our music committee in the old days. The rotten papers were not discovered by either of the Hercules above, who worked hard enough to (finish) the main Art Center of Plastic Art and the Main museum among every other cultural institution.

Note No. 2-
Again the sister Goddess Muse appeared unexpectedly, this time you don’t know from where! Four invitations for attending Music Recitals, starting from 28 Jan.2006, the last on 5th May. The first one performed on violoncello and Piano, the second, Violoncello, Clarinet and piano. The third Violoncello and piano, the fourth is the same. The standard of those Iraqi artists was extremely high, as I felt, and the number of those who have had the chance to be one of the attendants, is of course rather minimal. These activities were beautifully organized by the Iraqi Center for Development and International Dialogue, directed by Mr. Mahdi Al- Hafudh, Parliament member. Many attendants here claim that they recognized the sister Goddesses Muse, entering the main hall, hand in hand with Mr. Mahdi. After the recital, the goddesses were seen scattered in the garden among the visitors joining the generous snacks and beverages, prepared so nicely by Mahdi. All the attendants came and returned back home safely, though it is not yet known how much of the protection is attributed to the Army Tanks, in relation to that offered by the clever Muse Art Goddesses sisters who were so keen to see with extreme interest that all are safe and are really consuming what they are hearing whatever the surrounding environment was!!

Love
Nuri M. Bahjet


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Responding to Nuri Bahjet

Dear Nuri,

I was delighted to receive your email and wish you the best of health and happiness. Thank you for your valuable comments and contribution to Wafaa`s work on the history of INSO. I think you and I agree in our views on the role of Albert Chaffoo in giving Iraqi music lovers the opportunity to hear live classical music performed by Iraqi nationals be it through his military band or his "make shift" symphony orchestra.

In the College of Medicine, you and our friend, the late Sami and Mustafa Edhem (viola), played a significant role in leading the way to the idea of INSO. In your remarks on a concert where Said Enyss Djameel played Beethoven`s violin concerto, and because during the same event a string ensemble participated, the impression was created that the ensemble accompanied Djameel for the violin concerto which as you know is not correct. Djameel was accompanied on the piano by Julian Hertz.

I was particularly happy to notice in your email that my old friend Mehdi Alhafudh has organized a concert in Baghdad. Please give him my best regards if you see him again. We were friends during his sejoure in Vienna and I, upon his request I introduced him to classical music here by taking him to orchestral and even chamber music concerts. He arranged for my string players and me to give two concerts in the United Nations. Best regards to Fuad Ridha as well.

Your old fiend
Munir Allahwerdi

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Dear Nuri:

Here are my comments regarding the points you've presented in your detailed and appreciated note:

You wrote in point 1, "The committee thought to give some information about the (orchestra), types of the instruments used and the main deference between the (orchestra) and the (band).

Knowing you were discussing the time of Chaffo and later the activities at the college of medicine, it is important to refer to it as an ensemble, chamber, quartet, etc. rather than an orchestra because it didn't become an orchestra, in the definition of an orchestra, until 1959.

In the same point 1 you provided an interesting date (Jan. 27, 1945) for the concert to be held at the medical college, which adds more confusion to the already known dates for this concert. I previously emailed this paragraph here it is again just to refresh our memories:


" 5. I have with me two historic programs of performances at the Royal College of Medicine. I think I obtained them from Dr. Nuri Bahjat, but not sure! Actually, they are three documents. The first indicates that The Baghdad Baroque Ensemble with Conductor Hans Mommer was taken place at the Center of English Studies (Waziriya) on Friday, February 11th (no year???). The second indicates that a concert (without the name of the Orchestra being printed) was taken place at the Royal College of Medicine on Saturday, April 22 1944 with no documentation
of the conductor's name!. The third is a ticket with a seat category (200 fils) that documents the name of the group as the Chamber Music Recital, conducted by Walter Jenke at the Royal College of Medicine on Tuesday, April 1st 1947.

Do you know how many chamber/orchestral music performances were performed at the College of Medicine in the 1940s? Do you know who conducted the April 22, 1944 concert at the medicine college? Do you have the program of the first concert performance at the college of medicine? "


In point 5 of your email, you were commenting on the newspaper's quote, "He formed Symphony Orchestra in Baghdad" talking about Albert Chaffoo. Neither he nor anyone formed a Symphony Orchestra until 1959.

It will be great if Munir, Fu'ad Mishu and Bassim comment on the issue of Chaffoo starting a music school in point 6.

Thank you for providing the complete program of one of Mommer’s recitals and of a concert at the medical college.

In addition to the dates I already mentioned in my email (in the colored paragraph above), you have added other concerts and dates attributed to the medical college.

I wish we establish a chronology of these concerts along with the names of whether they were chamber, ensemble, quartets, orchestra, etc.., date and who conducted them (if available). Both Munir and Bassim indicate the Walter Jenke never conducted!

Of course the entire following page (without numbers) that you wrote needs verification and commentary by Munir and Bassim.

The minute I receive detailed commentary about your reply, I will post them with this minor correction along with the commentary by others!

Thanks again from beloved Baghdad. I wish you strength and patience at this harsh time we Iraqis are facing. I also hope that Hameed Issa received my email reply, and that he is well along with all his family members. I ccd my reply to few on this list, so I hope it was received.

Please send my greetings to your wife,

Gratefully,
Wafaa' Al-Natheema
http://insonewsletter.blogspot.com/

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The three dates given by Dr. Nuri interest me;

1-The 1944 April 22 could be the one in whic Hanna Petros conducted the string ensemble. If this assumption is not true, then I was a participant in performimg alongside other students from the Institute.

2- The January 27,1945. January would have been too cold to have a concert in the garden. Therefore it could not be the one in which Hanna Petros conducted. And if so then I could have been a participant but not remembering what did I play.

3-The April 1st.1947. For this, there are photographs available. The participants were the leading members of the Fine Arts Institute orchesta ( Better if called ensemble) for which Jenke was described as the director.

200 fils for entry to a concert given by amateurs was high a price. We should have paid the audience money for bothering to come !!. On the other hand, entry to concerts given by Prof. Hertz or Albu were half to one dinar. About the Wazeeiyeh concert I know nothing except, maybe, for its relation to Ihsan who played solo flute in it. I had already left Iraq by then.

Munir

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Dear Wafaa:

I am not going to deal with Nuri’s notes in details, but giving you once again some facts. One should differentiate between (Symphony Orchestra) and (Symphonic Music)
And other musical forms and groups.

Those activities, mentioned in Nuri’s paper, were mostly performed by smaller chamber music groups (Quartets – etc.) and Military Bands (Not Orchestras).
Munir, for example, (who among others including my two brothers Petros and Sabah) was the very pioneering musicians in gathering such groups (performing concerts here and there).

I personally started in 1952 along with other three musicians (including Munther) our (Hayden String Quartet) under supervision of Sandu Albu – we never referred to this as (symphonic music). And on top of all were the ‘Fanfare’ Wind Instruments Bands organized and led by my father (Hanna Petros) since the early 1920s in Mosul, then through Baghdad Teacher’s Training Institute – Music Institute (Maahad al Mosseqa) – Iraq Scouts Movement and the Fine Arts Institute. All these were not (Symphonic Music) nor (Symphonic Orchestras)

Gathering from the above brief, that Walter Jenke, in his capacity as instructor of Wood Winds section in Maahad al Fonoon Al Jamila (1946 - 1948), he did not conduct any Orchestra, but supervised his Wood Winds groups. He was a highly qualified teacher of Clarinet.

Finally, it is not easy to deal with historic issues; unless gathering and analyzing documentary references; accordingly, the very first ‘gathering of musicians into String Orchestra’ under the umbrella of the Fine Arts Institute (Maahad al Fonoon Al Jamila) was that of 1941 conducted by Hanna Petros in its only performance at the Royal College of Medicine in Baghdad, Which was considered as the ‘Founding Stone’ of the IRAQI NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (INSO).

The 50th INSO anniversary celebration, which we organized in 1991, was based on this fact, and officially recognized by the INSO department through the Ministry of Culture and information.

Finally, INSO was born and raised within the Fine Arts Institute; if there were some other Orchestras, they should not be referred to our INSO issue.
You will get the documentations later.

Bassim
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Dear Wafaa:

- Nuri’s involvement in INSO was his participation in the first concert of 1941. He had other activities with chamber music smaller groups

- Walter Jenke, who I remember well, was an excellent friendly person served as teacher, musician and instructor for student’s activities. He never conducted any orchestra.

- Chaffo conducted his Military Band Orchestra but had absolutely nothing to do with the INSO.

- Throughout the life of the INSO, there were few personnel who contributed in writing/editing musical literature programs and posters, among them were Hamdi Qadouri, Lamman al Bakri, myself, Mazin al Zahawi, Ghazi Bahjat: every one has had his own style writing (in Arabic and/or English). This gives an idea of the use of certain proper words, like Conductor, or Conducted, etc. It was not an easy task.

Best regards.
Bassim

Encls.: 1921 photo showing Hanna Petros as music teacher, Band Master at the Chaldean School in Mosul; one of his students was Saeed Shabo (famous composer of Anasheed Wataniya) sitting to the very right side.
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Dearest Dr. Nuri:

First of all, thank you so much for your important memories with explanation about the classical and sym. music and arts in the Iraqi society.

1- It is very important for me to know with your historical details during the forties about the music activities of the musical committee in the Royal College of Medicine -Baghdad (as you were active member in, as I believe).

2- I think that was parallel together with the music activities in Maahad Al-Moseeqa, later Fine Arts Institute ( F A I ) - MUSIC DEPARTMENT, also you were studing the music there in that period.

3- You and the other musicians and artists from your generation, all were the pioneers whom established the basic of the Symphonic and classical music in and arts in the Iraqi society.

4- Since 1953, when I started to study the music at the FAI, I knew the talented musicians and teachers, and artists like: Farid and Munir Allawerdi , Aram Tajirian, Aram Bboukhian, Fouad Ridha, Hamdi Qaddoori, Sami Shaikh Qassim, Biatris Ohanisian, Silva Boghosian , Petros H. Petros as well as his father ( Prof. Hanna Petros ) who was the director of Maahad Al-Mouseeqa 1936-1939, Jawad Salim, Faik Hassan, Haqi Al-shibli, Ibrahim Jalal and others.. Of course you too and later you were teaching the Anatomy to the students of the plastic arts department in FAI ,THOSE ALL IRAQIS PLUS THE LEADER OF THE WESTERN MUSIC DEPARTMENT IN FAI Prof. Sando Albo, violin, viola as well as the conductor of the FAI orchestra, Prof. Julian Herz - Piano (both from Romania), Prof. Adnan Qopouz fom Turkey, wood winds + percussion +contrabass.

5- I remember also there was exist at that time Hayden Chamber group or Quartet, the members were from the teachers and advanced students in FAI, I can not remember their names, perhaps our dears Munir and Bassim to remind us. I am sure they performed and played many concerts at that period, it will be interesting if we can get some of their programs.

6- During the period 1953-1962 of my study at the FAI, I knew the foreigner musicians who taught at the FAI:

Martin Wolf - Flute, Germany, he was my first teacher.
Wolfgang Teising - Cello, Germany
? Hommel - Clarinet, Austria
? Falcon -Oboe , Chec .
Franz Schubert - Flute, Chec , he was my last teacher.
Kobitsa- Clarinet + bassoon, Chec, with his wife famous Solo Clarinet.
Siegfred Stolta - Leipzig , at that time east Germany : Conductor, Bassoon + Composition , Harmony,
Mukerem Berk -Flute, Turkey ,I have been study with him too.
Raafat Yalbaz-Oboe, Turkey.
Masaood Jamil - Cello, Tamboor ,Turkey .
Najdat Varol - Qanoon. Turkey.
Jawdat Chaghla - Violin, Turkey.
Jan Drat - Piano, Poland.
George Mann - Violin , harmony, chamber music (Hungary) , short times he conducted the INSO .
Elisabeth Shkora - Cello,Hungary

7- I remember also The Baghdad Philharmonic Society, and Baghdad String Quartet.. founder Aram Tajirian.

8- In the fifties famous musician Sharif Mohi Al-Deen Haydar (former dean of FAI) came to visit his brother Mohammed Ameen Haydar, he was the dean of FAI in that period, Sharif he performed and played concert at the hall of FAI, I was in that concert, he played the 1st.half of the program. The 2nd half of program, he performed on his Cello famous compositions by great European composers, the piano accompaniment was by Julian Herz, unfotunately I left or lost most of my musical and art archives , books, music notes and important programs of the INSO and chamber music groups which I played with all.since I left iraq in 1998.

9- My generation and I, who studied at the FAI, have been influenced by your generation dear Dr. Nuri , and we continued developing the music activities after your steps in the Iraqi Society .

10 - The conclusion was 1960-1961 the INSO, IRAQI NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA began (During the period of the Iraqi National Leader A. K. QASSIM) when all music teachers and advanced students with the big help of the artist Dr. Khalid Al-Jadir who was the dean of AFI in that period. I think we all succeeded and our dear INSO MEMBERS STILL ALIVE AND PERFORMING CONERTS WITH ALL BAD AND SAD DESTRUCTION OF OUR MOTHERLAND IRAQ.

11- I shall leave our dear friend Bassim to continue the writing of the history of music life and history of the INSO. As far as I knew, Bassim started working seriously on this great subject few years ago and we exchanged the information and memories with important details, programs, conductors and so on. We are waiting for Bassim’s important book.

12- Thank you so much dear Dr. Nuri for informing us about the recent music activities since Jan. 2006 through 5th. May 2006. Also I heard that the INSO played a concert last month at Nadi Al-Sayed in Mansoor, which is near your house. Thanks for MUSE ART GODDESSES who helped you all to see and listen with extreme interest to the music and returned you all back home safely.

God bless and save you all from the daily fire in Iraq and in each place, may our Great god will bring good fortune prosperity, happiness and peace for our motherland, IRAQ AND ALL IRAQIS.

With best wishes and regards.
Yours,

Ihsan Ad.ham