Kenneth Habib

Ken Habib was born in Detroit, MI. His grandparents emigrated from Lebanon to Michigan (via Ellis Island) in the early 20th century, during the first major wave of Arab migration to the United States. His parents met at a dance at the Syrian American Club in Detroit. In 1960, when Ken was one, the family moved to California, and he grew up mostly in Simi Valley. Ken earned his bachelor’s degree in communication studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his MA in music composition and PhD in ethnomusicology from UC Santa Barbara. In 2006, he joined Cal Poly’s Department of Music to teach ethnomusicology and established the Arab Music Ensemble.