Renowned Egyptian pianist Moushira Issa dies in Cairo

Ahram Online , Sunday 2 Feb 2025

Renowned Egyptian pianist Moushira Issa passed away in the late hours of Friday after a long struggle with illness.

Moushira Issa


Issa graduated with honours from the Conservatoire Institute in Cairo and obtained the Diploma of Piano Performance Art from Vienna, Austria, in 1984. 

She received her PhD in music in 1987 and was a professor at the Cairo Conservatory.

Besides her work at the Conservatory, Issa also taught piano performance across other music institutions, creating a strong generation of young pianists. Her students include, among others, pianists such as Petra Shawky, Talia Ziada, Tamara Ziada, Talia Kandil, Selim Fikry, Mourad Refaat, Nadia Elgammal, Maya Elzorba, Omar Tawfik, Hamdy Wagih, and Youmna Ashraf.

Issa performed extensively in Egypt and internationally, whether in solo recitals or accompanied by an orchestra. She took the stages of halls on five continents, including countries such as Morocco, Kuwait, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Yugoslavia, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Mexico, and Guatemala. She also performed at the European Union headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal.

One of her most recent recitals was in May 2024 at the Cairo Opera House. The opera has also included her performance in this season's schedule - it was supposed to take place on 8 February.

Besides her frequent appearances at the Cairo Opera's stages, Issa participated in numerous festivals, such as the Cervantes International Festival in Mexico and the Sofia International Music Weeks Festival in Italy.

Issa has received numerous awards and recognition from Egypt and abroad, including the first prize from the Association of Music for Youth in Cairo in 1971 and the Stephanov Prize in Vienna in 1982, among other honours.

In December 2017, the Academy of Arts honoured her at the closing ceremony of the third Arab Scientific Forum. In 2019, the BBC International Corporation chose Issa among the most influential 100 women in the world. 

In addition, the Egyptian Women's Council honoured her in the presence of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

The funeral of the pianist took place on Saturday.

 

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