Aziz El-Shawan (born May 6, 1916, in Cairo, Egypt; died May 14, 1993, in Cairo) was a distinguished Egyptian composer of the twentieth century, known for his contributions to classical music. He completed his early education at St. Joseph – La Salle College in Cairo, where he received a Higher Diploma in Commercial Studies. El-Shawan initially pursued violin studies privately under Joseph von Aubervon, a student of Jan Kubelick, and participated in his school’s choir and band, playing the clarinet and French horn. Although he received a scholarship to study at the Berlin Conservatory, his musical aspirations were curtailed by an accident that disabled a finger on his left hand, leading him to focus on piano and composition instead.

El-Shawan studied music theory, harmony, composition, and orchestration with European musicians in Cairo, including the Italian Menato and the Russian Orlovitsky. He held several administrative roles, notably at Philips International Company, where he established a record production department. From 1952 to 1967, he served as the director of the Soviet Cultural Center in Cairo, which facilitated his exposure to international music and composers like Dmitri Shostakovich and Aram Khatchaturian.

His compositions gained recognition in Moscow, where some of his early works were performed by the Radio Moscow Orchestra. In 1968, his Symphonic Poem Abu Simbel and a piano concerto were performed by the Moscow Cinema Orchestra, conducted by Khatchaturian. Following his return to Cairo, El-Shawan devoted himself to composition and teaching, serving as a consultant for the Ministry of Culture and a professor at the Arabic Music Institute.

El-Shawan is particularly noted for his opera in Arabic, Anas el-Wugood, performed at the Cairo Opera House in 1970 and 1995. His legacy continues through his students, including Jordanian composer Haytham Sukareya and Egyptian composers George Kyrillos and Ramz Sabry Samy. His daughter, Dr. Salwa El-Shawan Castelo-Branco, is an ethnomusicologist based in Lisbon, Portugal.