Wanees Zarour is an award-winning, Chicago based Palestinian-American composer, arranger, buzuq and oud player steeped in the traditions of maqam and jazz. His compositional voice transcends borders, blending Arabic, jazz, classical, and global music traditions into a bold and cohesive musical language. Whether composing for full orchestra or leading small ensembles, Zarour creates music that is both deeply rooted and forward-looking, driven by rhythmic intensity, lyrical improvisation, and narrative depth.
Born into a family of musicians, Zarour began his classical violin training at age 7 at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, where he rapidly advanced through the repertoire. He later immersed himself in the maqam system, the Arabic violin tradition, and Middle Eastern rhythms and forms, studying with master musicians and expanding his instrumental fluency to include oud, percussion, and especially the buzuq, on which he is considered a virtuoso.
Zarour serves as Director of the Middle East Music Ensemble at the University of Chicago, which under his leadership has grown into an 85-piece orchestra and chorus performing Turkish, Arab, and Persian music for sold-out audiences. He arranges and transcribes all the ensemble’s repertoire and curates each concert to foster cultural dialogue and collective artistry. He is also Co-Director of the Chicago Immigrant Orchestra along with Fareed Haque—a project revived in partnership with the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs—which celebrates the musical identities of Chicago’s immigrant communities.
In 2014, Zarour released his debut album Quarter to Midnight, a 10-piece chamber jazz project showcasing his intricate compositions and expansive aesthetic. Featuring original works that integrate Arabic, jazz, Brazilian, Turkish, and classical elements, the album was performed across the U.S. and marked Zarour as a bold new voice in intercultural composition.
In 2018, Zarour founded East Loop, a septet dedicated to exploring the intersections between jazz and maqam. With guitarist Sam Mosching, trombonists Chris Shuttleworth and Catie Hickey, saxophonist Bryan Pardo, and rhythm section Nick and Vinny Kabat, the group released an EP in 2018 and a highly regarded full-length album Silwan in 2026. The album offers a suite of compositions, offering a deeply personal reflection on memory, resilience, and belonging, gaining accolades in Downbeat Magazine, All About Jazz, Paris-Move and many more.
In addition to composing, arranging, and performing, Zarour teaches maqam theory courses at the University of Chicago, serves as faculty at Simon Shaheen’s Arabic Music Retreat, and maintains a busy studio giving theory, composition, buzuq and oud lessons.
Zarour’s contributions to Chicago’s musical life have been widely recognized. He received the Chicago Esteemed Artist Award in 2021 and the prestigious 3Arts Award in 2024 for his work as a composer, educator, and cultural leader. He continues to build artistic spaces that center inclusivity, expression, and collaboration—always with a commitment to music as a vehicle for shared human experience.