Biography:
Karem Matar is a composer and music arranger.Born in Nazareth in 1977, Karem was raised in a house rich with music and arts. His father, Joseph Matar, a competent artist and singer of great stature in the Middle Eastern and Arab Singing world. His mother specializes in musical education and works in the field as well.Karem's talent in composing and music arrangement has unfolded at an early age. He began his study in the field since he was seven years old, learning music theory and playing the piano, apprenticed with the best music teachers and experts. Karem completed his musical studies at age 24, specializing in sound engineering, which allows him to manage and operate his current studio.Karem has established his first tune in the year 1987 at the age of 10, where he composed his first piano piece. Since then, he has been in constant search of a music that best expresses his innermost self.

 

Style and Musical work:
Karem gave an utmost importance to music, putting it in the head of his priorities, until it became the largest part of his life.His Musical tunes are characterized by extravagant sensitivity, combining Middle Eastern and classical music. This is reflected in the employment of ancient Eastern instruments taken from various geographical and ethnic regions, such as: Arab countries, North Africa, Turkey, the Balkans, Armenia, the countries of Central Asia, India and Persia; Hence, addressing the oriental spirit of the listener, creating the notion of an ancient oriental Nostalgia, integrating it with classical and modern Western instruments, and creating a vast cultural dimension by conferring his excellence in arrangement.Karem's advantage in this field stems from a personal theory he had once created for himself, which suggests that music is a spiritual "Formula" which launches without limitations, frameworks or laws, and ends by delivering a sensual and emotional experience to the receiver. So far, Karem has composed 53 musical pieces in complete Orchestral arrangement, each carries a different name suited for various expressionist and visual soundtracks. A special album containing those works will soon be distributed.Karem has composed and arranged over 450 songs for singers from the country and the Arab World, while applying his personal style in composing and arrangement and contributing to their success. A great number of those songs had won first prizes in various global and local competitions; their success reflected in the number of sales as well.

Karem composed for various prominent artists such as: Yusuf Matar, Zuhair Francis, Dalal Abu Amna, Amin Sultan (Lebanon), Kamal Suleiman, Maher Halabi, Elias Julianos, Wisam Habib, and more.

 

Cinema:

Karem Matar composed music for Al Jazeera's most eminent documentaries. among them are "Golan heights under the microscope", "on my own" a film about the life of Fadwa Touqan, "The myth of the Israeli left", "Sheikh Al Aqsa", "Nazareth", "Abd Araheem Mahmoud", "Alsakakini" and more…

 

Theatre:
Karem specializes in composing music for theatre, as well as writing and arrangement of soundtracks.The most eminent plays Karem composed music for were: "incompetents," written and directed by Riad Masarweh, "white of the eyes" written by Ayman Igbaria and directed by Mounir Bakri,  "Bird of Heaven" directed by Riad Masarweh,  "Last Dance", directed by Ali Nassar,  "Crimson flower" directed by Mohammed Odallah, "little Red riding hood and the Rabbit" directed by Adnan Trabsheh, "Jamila" a monodrama written and directed by Adel Abu Raya,  "Kriz" Monodrama written and directed by Adel Abu Raya.Karem also arranged the musical  "Athkur (I remember)" by the great poet Chakib Jahshan - music by Nabil Azar, "like the saying goes" a comedy written and directed by Adel Abu-Raya, "Karkouch and Barbouch " directed by Eyad Sheity, "the magic of numbers" written and directed by Mahmoud Soboh and finally a children's play "who's the King" written and directed by Elham Arraf.

 

Commercial:
Karem composed over 2500 commercial advertisements between the years 1993-2018. Within the framework of his work were major international companies specializing in the field of music editing and audio visual advertising, such as USAID- a program by the U.S. embassy for the support of Palestinian people. The Ad was broadcasted on the Arab channel MBC, through Afaq advertising, as well as Coca-Cola Company, Cellcom Mega, Klalit, Fanta, McDonalds, Tapuzina, Orange, Honda, Fiat, Knor, Pelephone, Pepsi and more…Moreover, Karem worked with significant  advertisement companies such as: ART channel and Radio, and produced jingles for "Diwan Al Sharq" in 1998.Karem Matar's work has overcome all limitations and obstacles to cross its way into the Arab world. He worked with Rotana Channel on the arrangement and composing of three songs by Ameen Sultan, and is fully prepared to work with Artists from the Arab world who might find an aspiration in his musical approach and arrangement, aiming at elevating the Arab song to higher standards.

Karem Matar's Studio specifies in producing musical albums for a vast number of artists, as well as recording and mastering for large musical bands known worldwide. amongst those are: Yousef Matar, 3 Albums for Zuhair Francis, the Alpha team, Kamal Sliman, Zahi Ghrayeb, 7 Albums for "Aravision" (2003-2010). The studio also provides recordings, Dubbing and soundtrack for film.Over 80 albumshave been recorded since the foundation of the studio (15 years ago), most of which are Karem's arrangement and composing. The studio is fully equipped with the finest recording and sound devices purchased from the best manufacturing companies. Moreover, Karem specializes in sound design for samplers and virtual instrument software.

 

"SABAIAS" project:
Karem has formed this band- consisting of three talented young women, each as well as altogether gifted with supreme voices- launching their work into a new trend in contemporary Arab music, rarely spotted in the Arab countries.The trio advanced the Arabic song into universal levels in terms of vocal variation, known as "Polyphony" in musical terms.As soon as the band released their first few singles, Sabaiaz became a major hit in the country, and after their release on the net, it came out to the wider world as hundred of thousands visited the site.Nowadays, Karem is producing the band's first album, which contains 10 songs arranged and composed by him, and written by: Jeries Eid and Firas Dokhi. Some of the songs have already taken part in local festivals, and one single was broadcasted on Radio Monte – Carlo, and Beirut Nights Radio (Oriental)