Basilius Alawad

Basilius Alawad is a distinguished Syrian-German composer and cellist based in Berlin, renowned for his
exceptional musicality and diverse repertoire spanning film scoring, contemporary Arabic music, and
electro-acoustic compositions.

His work has been showcased at prestigious festivals and concert halls across Europe, including Weimar
Kunst Fest, Berlinale 2016, Pierre Boulez Saal, Roskilde Festival, Rudolstadt Festival, and Morgenland
Festival. Recently, he made his debut with the Osnabrücker Symphonieorchester, premiering his
composition Arabesque: A Dialogue for Violoncello Solo and Orchestra
under the baton of Daniel Inbal.

Throughout his career, Basilius has collaborated with acclaimed artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Kinan
Azmeh, Dima Orsho, and Naseer Shamma. His performances have graced world-renowned venues,
including Muziekgebouw, Berliner Philharmonie, and Konzerthaus Berlin.

As a member of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, he has performed under the legendary Maestro
Daniel Barenboim, appearing at iconic venues such as Royal Albert Hall (BBC Proms), Carnegie Hall,
Disney Hall, Chicago Symphony Center, KKL Luzern, and the Salzburg Festival.

Basilius is also a co-founder of the Ramal Ensemble, dedicated to pushing the boundaries of Arabic
music. His commissioned concerto for Monia Rizkallah, solo violinist of the Deutsche Oper, premiered
at Pierre Boulez Saal, further cementing his reputation as a visionary composer.

He holds a distinguished education from the Barenboim-Said Academy, where he studied in the class of
Sennu Laine, and a Master’s degree in Film Music Composition from Filmuniversität Babelsberg
Konrad Wolf, in the class of award-winning composers Ulrich Reuter, Karim Sebastian Elias,
and Jörg Iwer.

Recently, alongside his partner Angela Boutros, Basilius made his debut as a film composer at the Max
Ophüls Preis Festival in Saarbrücken. Their score for Geister (co-produced by RBB, MovieBrats
Pictures, and Filmuniversität Babelsberg) earned an international premiere and a festival nomination.
He also recorded all cello music for Ubisoft’sPrince of Persia game.
His debut album, “UNCELLISTIC” is set for release, reflecting his vision of the cello as a powerful
sound design tool while pushing the boundaries of extended techniques on the instrument.