On Reviving Malūf Music and Oud Making (2023)

The Tunisia Office of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University invites you to start the new year in music with:

Zied Mehdi

In Conversation with Winkie Williamson

On Reviving Malūf Music and Oud Making

Zied Mehdi is a prominent Tunisian oud player who performs in concerts in Tunisia and around the world. Zied studied oud with renowned Tunisian and Turkish musicians. He holds a diploma in traditional Tunisian music from the al-Rashidiyya Institute of Tunisian Music (2009) and the National Diploma in Arabic Music (2009). He developed a growing interest in classical Ottoman music and Tunisian Andalusian music. Today, he is one of the leading figures of the Malūf genre in Tunisia and the Maghreb.

Zied has recently begun teaching Tunisian Oud (Ud ʿ Arbi or Ud Tūnsi ) at the Higher Institute of Music in Tunis. He is also involved with local oud makers, particularly the workshop at the National Artisan Center in Denden, where he experiments with different types of wood to explore different sound qualities. He is committed to sharing his knowledge and inspiring a new generation of oud players. Although best known for his Malūf music, Zied is increasingly exploring innovative ethno-jazz music, performing in a quartet with piano, percussion and double bass. He is currently working on an exciting new album featuring his personal compositions that blend classical North African music with contemporary nuances. This project reaffirms his commitment to broadening the horizons of local music, introducing new sounds while valorizing the legacy of this rich cultural heritage.

In parallel to his musical path, Zied is pursuing a career in finance, transaction services, valuation and private equity. A graduate of ESCP Business School, he has been covering transactions in North and West Africa for a leading pan-African private equity firm since 2021.

In this talk, Zied Mehdi will be in conversation with Winkie Williamson, a former international development consultant who has spent the last ten years researching the life of the d'Erlanger family at the Ennejma Ezzahra Palace in Sidi Bou Said. Winkie volunteers at the palace, assisting the Center for Arab and Mediterranean Music (CMAM) with its project to restore its collection of musical instruments. For the past year, she and Zied have been exploring ways to promote the Tunisian oud as an "iconic" national instrument. This conversation is part of that process.

This event will be held in person.

Admission Free

Questions: cmes_tunisia@fas.harvard.edu.