Hanna Petros — Profile

1921 photo showing Hanna Petros, music teacher, band master at the Chaldean School in Mosul. He is sitting

fourth from the left. One of Hanna’s students, Saeed Shabo (famous composer of nationalistic songs) is sitting to the right side of Hanna.

Hanna Petros (1896-1958)

Composer, music educator and the founder of music educationin IRAQ, which included (but not limited to) the Iraqi Army MusicDepartment (1923), the Baghdad Music Conservatory (1936)and the Iraqi Police Music Band (1941). His “Rondo Oriental” was composed in 1937 for piano soloand was presented by the Romanian pianist and pianoinstructor, Julian Hertz, at the conservatory in Baghdad, as well as in Paris, Geneva and London during the 1940s.In the year 1976, the Orchestra’s Russian conductor Youri Alieve converted the piece (Rondo Oriental) for string orchestra. It was performed by the INSO in Baghdad, Beruit, Moscow and Amman. Hanna’s works included national songs, marshes for Wind Band and works for solo violin and piano.