| Biography | Albert Chaffoo, was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1917 and received his formal musical education in London at the Royal College, Royal Academy, and Royal Military Schools of Music. He trained with leading symphony conductors including Sir John Barbirolli and Sir Adrian Boult and was a frequent guest conductor with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonia, and BBC Orchestra conducting at the Royal Albert Hall.
Albert returned to his native Iraq at the age of 22 and became the Director of Music for the Iraqi Army when the country was a Kingdom with a democratic government. Over the next 10 years, he formed the country's first symphony orchestra, The Baghdad Symphony Orchestra, members of which later formed the present day Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra which played at the Kennedy Center for President George Bush. In addition, he formed a school of music, modernized military bands, and even formed a men's choir with British troops during World War II.
After the war, he returned to London on invitation to conduct the Birmingham and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras, leading to the invitation to conduct at the Royal Albert Hall in London which was attended by the crown prince of Iraq.
Chaffoo ultimately moved to the United States teaching as a college professor. He formed several symphony orchestras including the Hickory Symphony and Salisbury Symphony in North Carolina, which recently celebrated their 40th anniversaries.
Even after retirement from the symphony and college, Albert continued to teach string instrument classes and organize youth orchestras at several private schools in the Southeast and compose music.
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