Youssef Elsisi facts for kids

Youssef Elsisi (born March 19, 1935 – died November 9, 2000) was an amazing Egyptian conductor and music educator. He helped bring classical music to many people in Egypt.

Early Life and Education

Youssef Elsisi was born in a city called Shebin al-Kom in Egypt. His parents loved classical music and encouraged him to listen to it. When his family moved to Cairo in the 1940s, his interest in music grew even stronger.

His father was an engineer and hoped Youssef would not become a professional musician. So, Youssef studied English literature at Cairo University. But he also kept studying music at the same time! In 1956, he finished both his music studies and his English literature degree.

In 1961, Youssef won a special scholarship to study in Austria. He went to the Vienna Music Academy and learned from a famous teacher named Hans Swarowsky. He graduated in 1965, becoming an expert in both conducting and composing music.

Bringing Music Back to Egypt

After finishing his studies, Youssef Elsisi returned to Egypt. He became the main conductor and artistic director of the Cairo Symphony Orchestra. He led many symphonic and opera performances at the Opera House.

His hard work was super important because the Opera House was destroyed in 1972. This stopped classical music and opera shows for a while. Youssef worked tirelessly to bring these performances back to life.

He pushed the musicians to become even better. Because of him, they could play very difficult pieces, like Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. He also made sure classical music reached people outside of Cairo. He held concerts in Alexandria and other parts of Egypt. Youssef was the first conductor to have open-air concerts in Cairo during the summer. This helped many more people enjoy classical music.

Awards and Teaching

Youssef Elsisi received many honors for his work. In 1983, the French government gave him the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Literature). In 1986, the Hungarian government gave him the Liszt Memorial Plaque. These awards recognized his big contributions to music in Egypt.

He also made sure to include music by modern Egyptian composers in his shows. Some of these composers were Aziz El-Shawan, Gamal Abdel-Rahim, and Omar Khairat. In 1989, he received the Egyptian State's Decoration of Arts for promoting Egyptian music both in Egypt and other countries.

Youssef Elsisi loved to teach others about music. He often wrote articles and gave talks about music appreciation at colleges and in the media. He wanted everyone to understand and enjoy music more.

He was a visiting professor at many music schools in Cairo, teaching about music history and appreciation. In 1990, he received a Fulbright grant. This allowed him to teach at the Eastman School of Music in the United States. He also taught in Kuwait, South Korea, and Japan. Some of his students became famous musicians themselves, like Adel Kamel and Omar Khairat.

Youssef Elsisi passed away in Cairo on November 9, 2000, from a heart attack.

Honors and Awards

• 1983: Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Literature) from the French government.
• 1986: Liszt Memorial Plaque from the Hungarian government.
• 1989: Egyptian State's Decoration of Arts.
• 1989/1990: Fulbright grant recipient.