Artist Profile: Mr. Guitar

by: Nada Dirar

The second episode of the series of inspired musical and dramatic artists is dedicated this time to a young musician who has loved the guitar since his early childhood. He used to design musical instruments from clay and play with his peers in his hometown, El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State. His mother recognized his talent very early, and she was his real sponsor and first motivator to encourage him to continue a long artistic career.

Our star is Omar Ahmed Abdel Karim, known in the artistic community as Mister Omar. He moved his primary education from El Fasher to Karari (Omdurma – Khartoum state), and recorded a remarkable presence in ‘Secondary School National Tournaments’ through singing. He did not find it difficult to get admission to the ‘College of Music and Drama’ which later became part of “Sudan University of Sciences & Polytechnic”, as he was surrounded by the care of music lecturers and students and the supervision of his small family in Karari.

“Mister” completed college, obtained an honours degree in guitar specialisation, and worked as a teaching assistant in the College of Music and Drama under the supervision of the former dean and guitar lecturer, PhD Al-Fateh Hussein. He participated in developing and teaching dozens of students.

…. Mr. Omar was not only interested in academies, he was an active member in musical groups ’orchestra’ for many singers, including Bilal Musa, Ahmed Al-Sadiq, Mohamed Shabarga, Abdallah Kunna, Nizar Al-Mohandis, Nafi Al-Jasmi, Mohamed Adel, Mohab Othman, Rimaz Mirghani, and others… Omar worked as a Music Instructor for the Choir of the University of Khartoum, the Faculty of Aviation Sciences and the ‘Violin Secret \Sihar Al-Kamanja Center’, and several private schools.

Omar says that his message to colleagues in these circumstances is to hold together and choose words that have an impact so that the Sudanese song can reach its full potential.

The war repercussions took him outside the borders between Egypt and Libya, searching for jobs that meet the needs of his extended family