Faculty
AIPA’s faculty consists of highly-trained educators with diverse musical, professional, and personal backgrounds, who are also accomplished performers in their own right.
Karim Said
Director of Music and Head of Piano
Karim Said is a pianist, conductor, and AIPA’s Director of Music.
‘He shares Sviatoslav Richter’s incisively effortless octave technique and knack for gradually meting out rubato in the manner of a seasoned conductor’ – Gramophone Magazine.
Hailed as a ‘born communicator’ by the Independent, Karim Said came to the public’s attention in 2009 playing concertos with the English Chamber Orchestra under the late Sir Colin Davis (Barbican Centre, London) and at the BBC Proms (Royal Albert Hall, London).
As a soloist with orchestra, he has toured regularly performing at such halls as the Philharmonie in Berlin, Musikverein in Vienna, the Great Hall of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, the Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin, the Musashino Concert Hall in Tokyo and at the Dubai Opera House.
Karim’s album Legacy was released on Rubicon Classics (UK) in November 2018. It received 5 Stars for interpretation and repertoire on West German Radio (WDR) and was described by Nicholas Kenyon in the Guardian/Observer as a programme ‘dispatched with intelligence and grace.’ This followed the success of his debut album 'Echoes from an Empire' (Opus Arte – 2015) which was one of Gramphone’s ‘Top Ten recordings of Janacek’ in 2016. The repertoire on his first album was inspired by his London recital debut series at the Southbank Centre in 2013, where he covered Arnold Schoenberg’s complete published solo works over three recitals as part of the ‘International Piano Series’ and ‘The Rest Is Noise’ festival.
Karim Said is equally at home performing chamber music and collaborating with actors. Past events have included collaborative performances with such stage directors as the late Patrice Chereau and Vanessa Redgrave, as well as chamber music performances with Waltraud Meier, Dorothea Röschmann, Gabriel Croitoru, Adrian Brendel, and the Utrecht String Quartet.
Karim is a serious jazz enthusiast with a particular affinity for the music of Miles Davis, Chick Corea, and Thelonious Monk. Outside music, Karim is a massive Alfred Hitchcock fan.
Education
Karim Said was born in Amman, Jordan in 1988 where he commenced his piano studies with Georgian-Iraqi teacher Agnes Bashir-Dzodtsoeva. He moved to the UK in 2000, aged eleven, to study piano, composition and conducting at the renowned Purcell School of Music and later at the Royal Academy of Music, both on full scholarships. At the Royal Academy of Music, he studied with Prof. Tatiana Sarkissova. His development as a student throughout his time at the Purcell School is documented in Christopher Nupen's film 'Karim's Journey', which was broadcast on the UK's BBC4, and in five other countries, in 2008.
Karim Said was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London in 2017.
Ihab Jamal
Head of Chamber Music & Orchestral Training
Ihab Jamal is a violinist, AIPA’s Head of Chamber Music and Orchestral Training.
As an orchestral musician, Ihab has toured internationally at such venues as La Scala in Milan, Musikverein in Vienna, Salle Pleyel in Paris, the Berlin Philharmonic Hall, the Royal Albert Hall in London, the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, KKL in Lucerne and the Salzburg Festival House.
As a soloist, Ihab was awarded the 1st prize at the International Competition of the Renaissance Festival in 2015 (Gyumri, Armenia) the 3rd prize at the Hrach Bogdnayan International Violin Festival in 2015 (Yerevan, Armenia) and the 1st prize at the Margot Babikian Chamber Music Competition in 2010 (Beirut, Lebanon). Furthermore, he was the first Lebanese violinist ever to participate in the Aram Khachaturian International Violin Competition in 2015. His solo appearances include the Khachaturian, Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn violin concertos with the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra and other concertos with the Vologda Chamber Orchestra on a Russian tour, as well as the Seasons Chamber Orchestra in Moscow.
Ihab has performed extensively as a recitalist at such festivals and venues as ‘Les Musicales de Baabdath’ (Lebanon), the Beirut Chants Festival (Lebanon), the Yaroslavl Philharmonic Hall and the Rybinsk Cultural Centre, both in Russia.
Ihab is also an accomplished Middle Eastern music violinist and arranger-composer, with broad experience of performing and recording traditional and popular Arabic music. Outside music, he is celebrated for his astonishing skills as an impersonator. Ihab is passionate about football.
Education
Born to a musical family in Lebanon, he first began learning the violin at home at the age of 6 and then at the Lebanese Higher National Conservatory of Music. He completed his studies with Arthur Ter-Hovhannisyan in the Yerevan State Conservatory (Armenia) with a Master's degree.
Jana Semaan
Head of Strings
Jana Semaan is a cellist and AIPA’s Head of Strings.
As a solo cellist and orchestral musician, Jana has performed with the prestigious academy Orchestra at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan and at internationally renowned concert halls including London’s Royal Albert Hall, Berlin’s Staatsoper, Lucerne’s KKL, the Salzburg Festival House as well as major venues in East Asia and South America.
Jana is a long-term member of the Café International Baroque Orchestra in Germany and the Amman Chamber Orchestra in Jordan. She is co-founder of the German-Lebanese Artists Society.
As a soloist and recitalist, she has performed at venues including Fruchtkasten in Stuttgart, Royal College in London, Staatsoper in Berlin, the American University of Beirut, Maison Heinrich Heine in Paris and at the International Baalbeck Festival (Lebanon).
Her recording project of the complete Toccatas by F.P. Scipriani (1678-1753) is a part of a research initiative to bring to the public lesser-known cello repertoire through historically informed performance practice. She is a recording artist on the Redbooth label in Lebanon, with whom she released Naji Hakim’s premiere ‘Aria’ for four cellos in 2021.
Jana enjoys discovering works by unknown composers and bringing them to a wider audience. Outside music, Jana is passionate about coffee and strives constantly to make the perfect cup with the right blend, roasting method and coffee maker for each practice or rehearsal break.
Education
In 2016, Jana received her Master’s degree with distinction in Early Music/Baroque Cello from the State University for Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart, Germany (class of Jonathan Pešek). She was subsequently appointed as a tutor at the university’s Early Music Department. During her studies, Jana participated in masterclasses with renowned musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, Dame Emma Kirkby and Conradin Brotbek.
Pedagogical activities include a position as a lecturer at the Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik and the Antonine University in Lebanon, where she also founded the first centre for Early Music in the region in 2018.
Eri Yver Yamazaki
Teacher of Flute
Eri Yver Yamazaki is a multifaceted musician, renowned as a flutist, composer, and instructor at the Amman Institute of Performing Arts (AIPA).
A luminary in the realms of classical, modern, and improvisational music, Eri's mastery extends across various instruments, including flute, piano, vocals, and percussion. Proficient in music composition and arrangement, she employs software like Cubase and Vocaloid to craft captivating musical landscapes.
Eri's sonic palette spans a diverse range, from classical to Afro-Latino and Japanese genres like Pop, Manga, and Video Games. Beyond performing, she excels in creating jingles, sound logos, advertisements, and burlesque music.
Eri's professional experiences include her role as the 2nd Flutist of the Amman Chamber Orchestra. Notably, she founded her music school, where she passionately taught flute and initiated young minds into the world of music. Her teaching stint extends to diverse settings, including substituting for Ludivine Dubois (L et Music) and the Municipale Music School at Fontenay-sous-Bois.
Eri's creativity shines through her extensive portfolio, encompassing compositions, arrangements, and transcriptions. Noteworthy achievements include Japanese children's songs, nursery rhymes, and transcriptions of renowned pieces, all garnering millions of views on platforms like YouTube. She proudly showcases her work on a dedicated website.
With a profound reservoir of musical knowledge and a rich performance history, Eri is committed to nurturing her students' skills and fostering their creativity. Her infectious passion for music serves as a driving force, inspiring her students to realize their full potential as musicians.
Education
Eri's educational journey is nothing short of impressive, having attended prestigious institutions globally. From the Musashino University of Music in Tokyo to the Conservatoire Nadia et Lily Boulanger in Paris, Eri garnered a wealth of knowledge under the tutelage of esteemed mentors. Further enhancing her expertise, she participated in workshops by DALCROZE FRANCE and received Cubase training at 40ème Rugissant in Paris.
Yuliya Yezdakova
Teacher of Piano
Yuliya Yezdakova is a highly knowledgeable, creative, and resourceful concertmaster and piano teacher from Ukraine. She has honed her skills and developed a reputation as an excellent educator and performer.
She has taught at the Donetsk School of Art, where she served as both a teacher and concertmaster, accompanying vocalists, violinists, and saxophonists. She also organized lessons for children as young as four years old. In addition, Yuliya worked at Kyiv University Borys Grinchenko as a concertmaster and piano teacher. She has recorded over 200 piano tracks for vocal students and has been teaching online since 2019. Her piano students have been laureates of international competitions.
Yuliya has participated in concerts of the Donetsk Music Academy and the Institute of Art in Kyiv as part of a duo or trio. She has also accompanied vocal concerts and was a laureate of Ukrainian and international piano competitions. In 2015, she took the Grand Prix in an international competition in the city of Dnipro for piano duet. In her free time, she enjoys composing her piano pieces and songs.
Education
Yuliya received her complete higher education in musical art from the S.S.Prokofiev Donetsk State Musical Academy. She graduated in 2014 with a degree that allowed her to obtain the qualification of a teacher, artist of chamber ensemble, and concertmaster. Before that, Yuliya completed the full course of Donetsk Musical College.
Ihsan Al-Ma'ani
Teacher of Guitar
Ihsan is a versatile classical musician with training and experience as both a guitarist and bassoonist. Throughout his career as a Guitarist, Ihsan has participated in a variety of concerts and events in Jordan and Lebanon.
Ihsan is also actively engaged in the music community, serving as a member of the Amman Chamber Orchestra and as the co-founder of Youth for Music Association.
Education
He received his formal education at the National Music Conservatory, where he honed his skills and developed his passion for classical music.
Ribal Al Sayyed
Teacher of Drums
Ribal is a dedicated music teacher with a passion for drums and percussion instruments. He has taught music in various schools and collaborated with numerous venues to arrange performances for bands and ensembles. With his expertise in music theory, composition, and percussion instruments, he has provided one-on-one and group music lessons to students of all ages and skill levels. Ribal fosters a welcoming and engaging learning environment for his students, encouraging them to develop their musical talents and explore new learning opportunities. As a drummer, Ribal is committed to making a positive impact on his students' learning journeys and helping them achieve their musical goals.
Education
Ribal received his bachelor's degree in music from the Jordan Academy of Music.
Contact Info
Abdul Hamid Badis St #44 | Shmeisani, Amman – Jordan
+96262221330
Info@aipa.edu.jo