Zahia Ziouani

French conductor Zahia Ziouani – born to Algerian parents in Paris, France on June 27, 1978 – is the twin sister of classical cellist Fettouma Ziouani. Interested in classical music at a young age, Zahia Ziouani learned to play guitar and viola before she began studying conducting. She attended Paris-Sorbonne University and graduated with diplomas in viola, classical guitar, and chamber music. She then studied conducting with Maestro Sergiu Celibidache before forming Divertimento Symphony Orchestra – which features 70 musicians - in 1998. She was appointed the first guest conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Algeria in 2007 and also served as the associate conductor of the Ensemble Instrumental Densités 93. Zahia Ziouani regularly worked with many acclaimed soloists including Emmanuelle Bertrand, Jean-Marc Phillips-Varjabédian, Xavier Phillips, Sophie Koch, Shani Diluka, Patrick Messina, Sylvia Carredu, Michel Moragues, and many others. She devoted herself to projects to help raise awareness of symphonic and operatic music and created the Divertimento Academy to encourage and train young musicians. Zahia Ziouani has been honored with several distinctions including Premier Prix de Musique (2007), Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite français (2008), Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (2012), Officier des Arts et des Lettres (2014), and Commandeur de l’Ordre National du Mérite (2019). She came to prominence outside of the classical music arena when her life and career were highlighted in the film Divertimento, which was directed by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar. In 2023, she released Bacchanale: Saint-Saëns et la Méditerranée, a thematic album that featured the participation of many Algerian musicians including violinist Amel Brahim-Djelloul.

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