BIO
(Photo by Bryan Bazemore)
Ronnie Malley is a multi-instrumentalist musician on oud, guitar, keyboards, and percussion, a theatrical performer, producer, and educator. He has collaborated with international artists, composed and consulted for many cultural music projects in film and theater, appeared as a guest artist on several works, and is executive director of Intercultural Music Production in Chicago. Ronnie began his professional career at the age of twelve performing Middle Eastern and North African music at weddings, restaurants, and festivals with his father and brother in the family band. Over the next thirty years, he expanded his musical palette learning other global music styles from India, Spain, and the Balkans. Ronnie has performed with the music groups Allos Musica, Apollo’s Fire, Diwan Al-Han, EMME (East Meets Middle East), Lamajamal, Mucca Pazza, Newberry Consort, Surabhi Ensemble, Yves Francois & Rocambu Jazz, and the U of C Middle East Music Ensemble.
As a theatrical performer, he has worked on regional and international theatrical productions with renowned award-winning directors including Mary Zimmerman, David Cromer, and Aaron Posner. His credits include: Layalina, The Jungle Book, Mirror of the Invisible World (Goodman Theatre); Mo (Netflix); Little Syria co-creator (Brooklyn Academy of Music); The Band’s Visit (North American Tour | Broadway Tony and Grammy Award winning); Macbeth (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); The Shroud Maker, The Sultan’s Dilemma, The Castle and the Sparrow (International Voices Project); Scenes From 73 Years (Medina Theatre Collective); American Griot co-author (MVCC/Silk Road Rising | Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Award 2020); A Disappearing Number (Timeline Theatre); Great Expectations (Silk Road Rising/Remy Bumppo | Jeff Nominated for Best Original Music), Ziryab, The Songbird Of Andalusia author and solo performer, Obstacle Course (Silk Road Rising); The White Snake (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Arabian Nights (Lookingglass, Arena Stage, Berkeley Rep Theatres).
As an educator, he has worked as a teaching artist with Chicago Public Schools, Global Voices Initiative, and Chicago Arts Partnership in Education, was a faculty member at Old Town School of Folk Music and the Chicago Academy for the Arts, and is a frequent guest lecturer at universities. Ronnie has a BA in Global Music Studies from DePaul University and a MA in Languages (Arabic and Hebrew) from the University of Chicago, where he is currently an Ethnomusicology PhD student. He was awarded the 2023 Michael Jaffee Visionary Award from Chamber Music America and is a member of Actors Equity Association and the American Federation of Musicians. Ronnie’s mission is to help people learn about cultures through music and the arts to foster an understanding of global citizenship.
As a theatrical performer, he has worked on regional and international theatrical productions with renowned award-winning directors including Mary Zimmerman, David Cromer, and Aaron Posner. His credits include: Layalina, The Jungle Book, Mirror of the Invisible World (Goodman Theatre); Mo (Netflix); Little Syria co-creator (Brooklyn Academy of Music); The Band’s Visit (North American Tour | Broadway Tony and Grammy Award winning); Macbeth (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); The Shroud Maker, The Sultan’s Dilemma, The Castle and the Sparrow (International Voices Project); Scenes From 73 Years (Medina Theatre Collective); American Griot co-author (MVCC/Silk Road Rising | Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Award 2020); A Disappearing Number (Timeline Theatre); Great Expectations (Silk Road Rising/Remy Bumppo | Jeff Nominated for Best Original Music), Ziryab, The Songbird Of Andalusia author and solo performer, Obstacle Course (Silk Road Rising); The White Snake (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Arabian Nights (Lookingglass, Arena Stage, Berkeley Rep Theatres).
As an educator, he has worked as a teaching artist with Chicago Public Schools, Global Voices Initiative, and Chicago Arts Partnership in Education, was a faculty member at Old Town School of Folk Music and the Chicago Academy for the Arts, and is a frequent guest lecturer at universities. Ronnie has a BA in Global Music Studies from DePaul University and a MA in Languages (Arabic and Hebrew) from the University of Chicago, where he is currently an Ethnomusicology PhD student. He was awarded the 2023 Michael Jaffee Visionary Award from Chamber Music America and is a member of Actors Equity Association and the American Federation of Musicians. Ronnie’s mission is to help people learn about cultures through music and the arts to foster an understanding of global citizenship.
Film and Theatre credits:
Layalina co-sound designer (Goodman Theatre)
The Shroudmaker co-sound designer (International Voices Project)
Scenes From 73 Years sound designer/video editor (Medina Theatre Collective)
The Band’s Visit actor/musician/Arabic dialect coach (Broadway Musical; 10-Tony Awards, Grammy Award)
American Griot co-author/composer (Moraine Valley/Silk Road; Kennedy Center ACTF Citizen Artist Award),
Macbeth Hecate/musician (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre; Jeff Award for Best Sound Design),
Great Expectations composer/sound designer (Silk Road Rising/Remy Bumppo; Jeff nominated for Best Original Music),
A Disappearing Number musician (Timeline Theatre),
Ziryab, The Songbird Of Andalusia author/solo performer (Silk Road Rising),
The Secret Garden musician (Court Theatre),
The Jungle Book musician/consultant (Goodman, Huntington),
The White Snake co-composer/musician (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Goodman, Guthrie, Wuzhen Theatre Fest),
The Who And The What composer/co-sound designer (Victory Gardens),
The Sultan’s Dilemma associate producer/actor (International Voices Project), and
The Arabian Nights musician/actor (Lookingglass, Berkeley Rep, Arena Stage);
At the Gate (Virginia Keller),
Modou: The Hang Player (Mino Duterte),
Jon and Davy (Hassan Amejal),
Footprints (Jonas Hart),
Spaces (Jonas Hart).
Layalina co-sound designer (Goodman Theatre)
The Shroudmaker co-sound designer (International Voices Project)
Scenes From 73 Years sound designer/video editor (Medina Theatre Collective)
The Band’s Visit actor/musician/Arabic dialect coach (Broadway Musical; 10-Tony Awards, Grammy Award)
American Griot co-author/composer (Moraine Valley/Silk Road; Kennedy Center ACTF Citizen Artist Award),
Macbeth Hecate/musician (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre; Jeff Award for Best Sound Design),
Great Expectations composer/sound designer (Silk Road Rising/Remy Bumppo; Jeff nominated for Best Original Music),
A Disappearing Number musician (Timeline Theatre),
Ziryab, The Songbird Of Andalusia author/solo performer (Silk Road Rising),
The Secret Garden musician (Court Theatre),
The Jungle Book musician/consultant (Goodman, Huntington),
The White Snake co-composer/musician (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Goodman, Guthrie, Wuzhen Theatre Fest),
The Who And The What composer/co-sound designer (Victory Gardens),
The Sultan’s Dilemma associate producer/actor (International Voices Project), and
The Arabian Nights musician/actor (Lookingglass, Berkeley Rep, Arena Stage);
At the Gate (Virginia Keller),
Modou: The Hang Player (Mino Duterte),
Jon and Davy (Hassan Amejal),
Footprints (Jonas Hart),
Spaces (Jonas Hart).
Music Producer credits:
Lamajamal (Gypsy Surf, Tsikago, Let's Go Gypsy Surf)
Surabhi Ensemble (Self-Titled)
EMME - East Meets Middle East
Aurad Fathiya (Funkar International)
Saazuk Safar (Funkar International)
The Andalusian Trail
The Reminders
Yehya Khalil
Yves Francois
Lamajamal (Gypsy Surf, Tsikago, Let's Go Gypsy Surf)
Surabhi Ensemble (Self-Titled)
EMME - East Meets Middle East
Aurad Fathiya (Funkar International)
Saazuk Safar (Funkar International)
The Andalusian Trail
The Reminders
Yehya Khalil
Yves Francois
Awards and Achievements:
2023 Michael Jaffee Visionary Award | Chamber Music America
2020 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Citizen Artist Award - American Griot
2020 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Certificate of Merit for Music Direction - American Griot
2017 Jeff Award Nomination | Best Original Music - Great Expectations
2014 Jeff Award Nomination | Best Original Music - The White Snake
2023 Michael Jaffee Visionary Award | Chamber Music America
2020 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Citizen Artist Award - American Griot
2020 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Certificate of Merit for Music Direction - American Griot
2017 Jeff Award Nomination | Best Original Music - Great Expectations
2014 Jeff Award Nomination | Best Original Music - The White Snake
Professional Affiliations
American Federation of Musicians – CFM 10-208 Member
Actors’ Equity Association Member
Society for Ethnomusicology Member
Language Skills
Arabic, French, Hebrew (Fluent); Spanish, Persian, Hindi (Conversational)
American Federation of Musicians – CFM 10-208 Member
Actors’ Equity Association Member
Society for Ethnomusicology Member
Language Skills
Arabic, French, Hebrew (Fluent); Spanish, Persian, Hindi (Conversational)