Born in Mosul, Iraq, Fouad Sawa graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1991. In 1998, he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he lived for 11 years. While working full-time, Fouad also dedicated himself to teaching music at churches and founded the Al-Salam Choir in Amman. In 2009, he arrived in the United States as a refugee, settling in El Cajon. There, he continued his passion for teaching music, initially offering lessons from home. Later, he established a small studio, where he taught oud, guitar, and piano—quickly earning recognition as a distinguished Middle Eastern music instructor within San Diego’s Arab community.
