Oral History Archive Awatef Abd al-Kareem

Dr. Awatef Abd al-Kareem is an Egyptian woman pioneer of music composition. She was the first Egyptian woman to study music academically, and to graduate from the Faculty of Music Education, at Helwan University. She pursued further studies in Austria at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, which is one of the most prestigious music education institutions in the world. Awatef founded the Department of Music Theories and Composition at the Faculty of Music Education in 1971, and co-founded the Department of Conducting and Composition at the Higher Institute for Music -the Cairo Conservatoire. She also took part in establishing the Music Department at the Higher Institute for Art Criticism, where she taught until 1984, beside teaching at the Higher Institute of Cinema, and serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Music Education until 1985. In the interview, she shared her experience with studying and teaching music.

Awatef was born in Fayoum, and raised by a father who worked as an engineer, and a mother of Turkish descent, who minded with developing her daughter’s artistic sense at an early age. When the family moved to Cairo, Awatef’s love for music blossomed as she watched her sisters learn the piano, and tried to imitate them. One of her sisters, Dr. Afaf Abd al-Kareem, who later became the Dean of the Faculty of Physical Education in Alexandria, encouraged Awatef to apply to study at the newly established music high-school program after finishing her primary education. Awatef submitted an application, then sat for an interview with the German Professors Bridget Schieffer and Hans Hickmann, who advocated for a specialized music education program in secondary schools. The program was affiliated with the Higher Institute for Women’s Music Education in Boulaq El Dakrour, presided by Dr. Iqbal Rashed.

Awatef’s family objected at first, but accepted the idea soon after. As Awatef put it, “yes, there were objections, but they soon realized that it was a serious education, and there was nothing in it beyond the common decency. Most of the students came from good families.” Awatef enrolled in the music program, and studied music in addition to other courses, under English, German, Swedish, and Egyptian teachers. She earned her high-school diploma in music, and graduated in 1954 with a successful track record. She recalled that all the graduates of the music program were girls, since teaching was the only field of work available for women at that time. She had a great desire to travel abroad after completing her studies, but her father refused. Upon her graduation, she was appointed as a Teaching Assistant at the Higher Institute for Music Education.

Awatef got married in 1954 to Dr. Mohamed Abd al-Fattah al-Beyali, a cinematographer and a visual artist who served as the Head of the Interior Design Department, at the Faculty of Fine Arts. Her husband was a friend of her brother, the visual artist Salah Abd al-Kareem. Awatef, with the help of her husband, managed to sustain a balance between her family life, academia, and her creative work. He promised her from the onset of their relationship that their marriage would not be an obstacle in her way to success, and he was constantly understanding and supportive of her work.

Owing to her success, Awatef received a fellowship in 1957 to pursue further studies in music theories and composition in Austria. She suffered a lot when she first arrived to Vienna with her daughter, but her husband arrived the year later to study there as well. Awatef recounted how Dr. Ahmed Atiya, Egypt’s Cultural Attaché in Austria at the time, blamed her for bringing her daughter along, and for choosing to study in Vienna where there was a large community of Egyptian students, which might limit her chances to focus on her studies and master the language. As a result, he enrolled her in the Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, or as it was called, Mozart Academy -a prestigious music academy. Awatef earned her higher diploma with excellence, then earned the Achievement Award from the Austrian state.

Upon her return from Austria, Awatef was assigned to teach at the Cairo Conservatoire, in addition to teaching at the Faculty of Music Education. During that time, she composed the music for several theatrical performances, and produced the choir songs in a number of schools. Awatef participated in the activities of the International Society for Music Education, affiliated with UNESCO, and was elected as a member of UNESCO’s International Music Council in 1994. She was also the youngest member of the Music, Opera, and Ballet Committee of the Supreme Council of Culture, and served as the Committee Supervisor in the period from 1993 to 1999, during which she proposed the publication of the academic journal Afaq. Describing the initiative, Awatef said, “I wanted to showcase that there were Egyptian music professors capable of scientific research and academic writing, and capable of expressing themselves well. It was also an attempt to spread the music culture among amateurs. Yes, the journal tackled specialized issues that mattered more to professionals and academics than to amateurs, but it presented diverse topics.”

Awatef published textbooks, produced music compositions, in addition to her teaching, before founding the Department of Music Theories and Composition, and designing its syllabus for the undergraduate and postgraduate programs. She also co-founded the Department of Conducting and Composition at the Cairo Conservatoire with Dr. Gamal Abd al-Raheem, a pioneer of contemporary music composition in Egypt. She contributed in establishing the Music Department at the Higher Institute for Art Criticism, where she taught for twenty years. In addition, Awatef collaborated with the Academy of the Arabic Language, and its committee for cultural vocabulary, to publish the first translated encyclopedia of western music terminology. She recalled some of the committee members, such as Dr. al-Tayeb al-Nagar, Dr. Magdy Wahba, Dr. Abu Shadi al-Rubi, Dr. Ezz al-Deen Abd Allah, and Dr. Ibrahim al-Tarzi who was the Academy’s Deputy Chair. Awatef expressed some regret for prioritizing the academic and teaching duties over the creative aspect of music composition, and stated, “that is the only thing I am unhappy about now, missing the creative work. I could have filled the world with my music, really good music.”

Awatef explained that while the 1952 Revolution aimed to advance society, and open new horizons, she would not deny the state’s attention to art and creativity before the revolution. Awatef recounted the 1960s as a period of a great revival in music and theater, and wished it lasted, which did not happen, according to her, due to some economic and cultural influences. She said, “there was no large coherent entity to affect the society, or have any existence in society.” She also recalled her disagreement with the University President during her term as the Dean, when she recommended increasing the number of enrolled students, and reducing the number of class hours. This disagreement was the cause for her resignation from her post as the Dean of the Faculty of Music Education.

Dr. Awatef Abd al-Kareem clarified that she never felt any discrimination against her for being a woman, and that she earned a lot of opportunities as a result of her efforts, accomplishments, talent, and her devotion to her work. She explained, “no, as a woman, I experienced no discrimination. Honestly, when I look back, I can see I had full opportunity to succeed because I was hardworking and talented. Maybe I came under the media spotlight by some journalists, maybe because of the circumstances, but I never felt anything like that. Afterall, the group was all women. The oldest music institute was for women teachers. We were all women, only women.”