In recognition of his efforts to promote cultural communication and understanding between the United States and Egypt, the Embassy of Egypt in Washington, D.C. is proud to recognize Egyptian-American composer Mohammed Fairouz with the 2015 “Leading by Example” award. Egypt’s Ambassador to the U.S. Mohamed Tawfik presented the award to Mr. Fairouz, offering his sincerest congratulations to the highly accomplished musician whom BBC World News called “one of the most talented composers of his generation.” His operas, symphonies, vocal and choral settings, chamber and solo works have been performed across the United States, including at Carnegie Hall and The Lincoln Center in New York, Boston’s Symphony Hall and The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Mr. Fairouz is particularly known for his thought-provoking attention to important geopolitical, philosophical, and cultural themes in his compositions, which led to the Embassy bestowing him with the 2015 “Leading by Example” honor.

The “Leading by Example” award highlights the stories of young Egyptians who are proudly representing Egypt while playing an important role in their communities. These personal, local efforts often go unnoticed by the general public yet are of the utmost importance to building cross-cultural understanding between the United States, Egypt, and countries around the world. The Embassy looks forward to continuing to recognize these impressive young Egyptian-Americans who have demonstrated excellence in all walks of life and working alongside them to forge closer ties between Americans and Egyptians.

Mr. Fairouz’s unique life story has provided inspiration and emotional texture to his celebrated works of musical art. For instance, his fourth symphony, “In the Shadow of No Towers,” explores American life in the aftermath of 9/11. This work, which premiered in 2013 at Carnegie Hall, was described by Steve Smith of The New York Times as “technically impressive, consistently imaginative and in its finest stretches deeply moving.” His third symphony, “Poems and Prayers,” intricately interweaves texts of Arab poets Fadwa Tuqan and Mahmoud Darwish, the Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai, and prayers such as the Aramaic Kaddish.

At a dinner on 27 April hosted by General Motors (GM) honoring their longstanding partnership with Egypt, Mr. Fairouz entertained attendees with an outstanding musical performance. Those present at the dinner, including Embassy representatives as well as guests from GM, remarked upon the excellence of his music, inspired by Egyptian culture. Just a few days later, on 30 April, Mr. Fairouz performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Following the show, audience members commented on his important role in harnessing the power of music and poetry to foster cultural understanding.

To learn more about and hear Mohammed Fairouz’s musical compositions, please visit his website at https://mohammedfairouz.com/.