Composer Saad Haddad’s music is energetic, full of life and vitality, and quite inventive – twisting and turning in unexpected but welcome musical directions that draw from his unique background and influences. His music is often microtonal, using notes in between and around the Western twelve-note chromatic set. This is particularly striking in his integration of Maqams (Arabic modes) for pitch material, though he also incorporates Western approaches to microtonality. A graduate of Columbia, Juilliard, and the University of Southern California, Haddad has become one of the most prominent American composers of his generation with commissions from IRCAM and the Orchestre national d’Île-de-France, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the International Contemporary Ensemble.
Haddad was named the California Symphony’s 2023-2026 Young American Composer-in-Residence, a position that includes three new commissions for the ensemble. The second of these pieces, Fantasia for Strings, is set to premiere March 22-23 in Walnut Creek, CA. The piece uses obbligato parts – treating the principal of each string section (first and second violins, violas, celli and basses) – as soloists in order to form a string quintet within the orchestra.
Mshwar, his first work for the California Symphony, is a short fanfare that makes extensive use of microtonality along with a driving mixed-meter pulse, acting as the foundation over which Haddad’s rhythmically vivacious and colorful melodies are built. Haddad discussed his compositional process for the work on his YouTube channel, where he creates videos about his own work, other people’s work, the business of composition, advice about music and academia, and interviews with composers.
Now, at the midpoint of the Composer-in-Residence program, we caught up with Haddad to ask him about the residency and his practice.
Saad Haddad — Photo by Matt Dine
What is it like being the composer-in-residence for the California Symphony, and how has the experience differed from the more traditional commission model?
I’m very thankful for my time with the California Symphony. Every part of the organization is completely supportive of the idea of having someone like me come twice a year to in a sense, “shake things up.” I love experimenting with musicians that are open to trying new things and through my residency, I’ve been able to discover new sound worlds without the usual “pressure” to make sure that everything “fits” within the typical operational apparatus of a professional orchestra. The trust the organization has in me to find sound worlds that are at the very least interesting, and at the very most inspiring gives me confidence to keep pushing my craft forward.
Looking forward to the premiere of your Fantasia for Strings, how has your approach to writing for the California Symphony changed since your first work?
My first work for the orchestra was a 5-minute fanfare inspired by another California native, John Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine, which he describes as evoking the feeling of driving in a fast sports car. My piece is similar in terms of its concept (driving up and down the Pacific Coast Highway as a kid) and the genre (fanfare). So with my second piece, I decided to go a completely opposite direction: a slow, contemplative work for string orchestra that harkens back to Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis.
Your biography describes your music as being a “blend of Western art music and Middle Eastern musical traditions.” How are these traditions reflected in your work, and how do you see these traditions in dialogue with each other?
More and more, I see the “blend” between these two traditions as more of a “spectrum,” in that there are times where the music is evoking one of the traditions more on a surface level, and at times it’s evoking the other. Beyond my work as an artist, my life mirrors this spectrum. When I’m back with my family in California, I can feel more cultural tendencies shift strongly back to my Arab roots (both my parents were born in the Middle East), whereas when I’m in a work environment, for example, teaching at Columbia, my cultural tendencies shift to a more “Western” mindset. I’m sure I’m not the only one that feels this way. Channeling this in my music is a kind of spiritual exercise for me, more than anything else.
Saad Haddad — Photo by Matt Dine
How did your work online, with your Youtube channel and The Composer’s Brain, come about?
Well, in terms of the Youtube channel, it came about because I thought about posting this video about how to join and register works with ASCAP as a concert composer. I always had composers asking me about this and so I just decided to make a video on my iPhone and post it to show them how to do it. I was legitimately surprised by all the responses I got on the video, so I thought all right let’s make another one… and then another one… and another one, all about something related to our field, musical or otherwise. And I did that every week for 4 years without expecting anything to come from it. Eventually, I started doing interviews with composers that I thought needed to be heard from in a more casual setting, kind of a mix between the casualness of Joe Rogan’s podcast and the depth of Nadia Sirota’s brilliant Meet the Composer series. So that was the spark.
Then, I began to receive a lot of requests for virtual 1-1 lessons from all sorts of curious composers of all ages from all around the world. Some wanted to pursue composition academically, some were doing it as a serious hobby. Then I thought: “What if these composers could see each other on group calls, interact between sessions, and offer constructive feedback, in addition to learning directly from me? Wouldn’t that arguably be more impactful long-term than simply having a string of 1-1 lessons with me?” Turns out it was a lot more impactful than I originally thought it would be.
Our composers have gone on to write all sorts of music for soloists, chamber ensembles, choirs, and even orchestras. What they probably don’t realize is that they have given me a new appreciation for our field, that anyone can write “concert” music as long as they have the passion, the right mindset, and a supportive community throughout their journey. I can go on and on. That’s The Composer’s Brain.
What are you most excited about, musically or otherwise, right now?
Right now, I’m excited about being a new dad! My daughter is 5 months old now and seeing her grow up every single day is simply wild to me.
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