Rifaat Garrana

Who is Rifaat Garrana?

Mohamed Garrana Rifaat is an Egyptian composer of classical music, a member of that nation's second generation of such composers.

He began playing the trumpet at age 12, studying it later at the Institute for Dramatic Music. He later studied with Hans Hickmann and Menato in Cairo.

His works feature the juxtaposition of Egyptian traditional and religious music with Western music. He has composed orchestral works. His concerto for qanun and orchestra is the first composition to combine this Arabic instrument with symphony orchestra.

In addition to his compositional activities, he served as director of the music division of Egyptian television.

His daughter, the flutist Maha Garrana, has performed his music.