Shireen Abu-Khader

Head, Department of Fine and Performing Arts

BA, Oberlin College
MA, University of Southern California

After obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in music education from Oberlin College Conservatory in 1994 and her Master’s degree in choral music from the University of Southern California in 1998, Jordanian Shireen Abu-Khader moved to the West Bank where she taught music at the Technical College of Women in Ramallah and was the choral coordinator for the Bethlehem 2000 project.

Ms. Abu-Khader's main focus has been her involvement in rearranging traditional Arabic music and composing new works for choirs. In January 2002, she founded Dozan wa Awtar: a music establishment that aims to promote Arab composers and thinkers. In March 2002, her "Arabian Folk Suite" work premiered in The Hague for the Honor Choir Festival. In April 2002, she conducted a peace and charity concert, ‘Voices Sing for Palestine', which included 100 singers from different backgrounds and faiths, and which aired on international channels such as CNN and ART.  

In August 2008, Ms. Abu-Khader collaborated with the International Federation of Choral music and Aswatuna Arab choral festival was created. Choirs from Syria, Palestine, Lebanon Iraq and Jordan met and shared music ending with a joint singing project including all 150 singers who performed in Petra.

Besides her choral work, Ms. Abu-Khader has also been involved in orchestral conducting, holding workshops for teachers at schools, colleges and refugee camps in the West Bank. In November 2008 she was invited to observe opera and conducting workshops held by Placido Domingo. Ms. Abu-Khader joined King's Academy as head of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts in 2008.