Setting the Tempo | AUCToday Skip to main content AUC Home page AUC Home page Search Main navigation Current Issue Features Issues Sections Search Main navigation Current Issue Features Issues Sections Spring 2026 Student Spotlight Setting the Tempo Olatunji Osho-Williams From the classroom to Egypt s biggest stages, AUC Excellence Scholar David Maged keeps Cairo s pulse alive, one beat at a time Music is a world within itself -- a language AUC freshman David Maged instinctively understands. Nineteen-year-old Maged is a budding multi-hyphenate: a drummer, producer, pianist, guitarist and an AUC Excellence Scholarship awardee. His talents have taken him from performing for kings and queens at the Grand Egyptian Museum opening to drumming alongside Egyptian rap legend Marwan Pablo. It s what makes me happy, what makes me feel alive. Everything I do is about music, Maged said. Even as a baby, Maged showed a natural sense of rhythm, constantly tapping on surfaces and objects around the house. With two musician parents -- his father a drummer and his mother a pianist -- his talents did not go unnoticed and they quickly bought him a mini drum set as a 2 year old. "It's what makes me happy, what makes me feel alive. Everything I do is about music." In his early teens, Maged spent up to four hours every day practicing. But as his International Baccalaureate program grew more demanding, he has often had to put music in the backseat.' I have this hunger, Maged said. I want to practice -- I have this constant need to. Despite the academic demands, Maged continued to perform, building his chops playing professional jazz gigs around Cairo. In 2022, he joined the all-teenage Andrew Milad Trio, which fuses Egyptian electronic street music with contemporary jazz, funk and hip-hop in performances at venues such as the Cairo International Jazz Festival, Room Art Space and the Goethe-Institut Kairo. Maged performs in Marwan Pablo's Red Bull Symphonic concert. His skill and professionalism caught the attention of renowned Egyptian conductor Nayer Nagui, principal conductor of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Orchestra and former artistic director and principal conductor of the Cairo Opera Orchestra. Nagui tapped Maged to play in Marwan Pablo s Red Bull Symphonic Orchestra concert in December 2024. As the only drummer in the Cairo Celebration Choir and Orchestra, he performed some of Pablo s greatest hits alongside the artist, widely hailed as the Egyptian godfather of trap. Nagui had previously selected Maged for smaller performances, recognizing his potential early on. Soon after, he selected him again to perform at the highly anticipated opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, where Maged was one of two drummers among nearly 120 performers representing 79 nationalities. It was amazing. There were no big crowds like the Red Bull Symphonic -- only presidents and kings, so a different kind of pressure, Maged said. Maged performs with renowned composer Nayer Nagui at the Grand Egyptian Museum opening. Maged is now looking to expand his musical horizons at AUC, connecting with fellow students working in Cairo s music scene on campus and beyond. I m excited to learn new skills, Maged said. AUC encourages students who work hard and have other talents. He is also gaining hands-on experience as an assistant music producer for music technology alum Maher El Mallakh 14, whose credits include the film Siko Siko, the Ramadan mini-series El Harsha El Sabaa and the Shahid mini-series Cloud Kitchen. To be a good music producer, you must listen -- and Maged s Spotify reflects that, featuring everything from Gen-Z crooner Daniel Caesar to the famed pianist Michel Petrucciani. You need to understand every component of the music, of the instrument, Maged said. Scoring films with another AUC alum sparked his interest in studying film at the University. I would love to learn more about the film industry because I m really into creative work, he said. Balancing gigs, music production and classes can be daunting, but for Maged, adjusting to a new rhythm is just part of the job. Related Stories Between Oud and Algorithm Spring 2026 Feature Cairo Beats Fall 2025 Student Spotlight THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN CAIRO MAGAZINE The American University in Cairo is the region s leading U.S.-accredited liberal arts institution. We empower our students to think creatively across disciplines in pursuit of world-changing ideas. We re a community driven by excellence. Every day. Connect Social Links * Facebook * Instagram * X (previously Twitter) * YouTube * LinkedIn * TikTok Subscribe Footer * About the magazine Connect Social Links * Facebook * Instagram * X (previously Twitter) * YouTube * LinkedIn * TikTok Subscribe