Zad Moultaka, born June 4, 1967, in Wadi Chahrour, is a Lebanese contemporary classical composer and visual artist. Moultaka studied piano at the Beirut Conservatory before moving to Paris in 1984 to train under Marie-Madeleine Petit and Pierre Sancan. He earned two first prizes from the CNSMDP in piano and chamber music before transitioning to composition and painting in 1993. Moultaka founded the ensemble Mezwej in 2004. His compositions include L’Autre rive, La Passion selon Marie, and the opera Zajal. Moultaka was in residence at IRCAM (2015–2017) and the Institut du monde arabe (2016–2018). In May 2017, he represented Lebanon at the 57th Venice Biennale with the project ŠamaŠ. Moultaka received the SACEM Claude Arrieu prize in 2007 and the Critics' Prize for best musical creation in 2017.
