It was such a great pleasure to work with the Deutsches Symphony Orchestre, clarinetist Kinan Azmeh, conductor Manuel Nawari and engineer Florian Schmidt to bring my Clarinet Concerto: Adrift on the Wine-dark Sea to life. We recorded at the legendary Jesus Christe Kirche in Dahlem, Berlin. ‘Legendery’ because the great conductor Herbert Von Karajan used… read more
May concerts, clarinet concerto recording session, and sneak peek at a string quartet
There are three concerts coming up this month in Dearborn, Michigan where the DSO, under the direction of Kypros Markou, will perform ‘Aleppo Songs’ for orchestra, in Berlin where mandolinist Avi Avital will perform my ‘Hanjale’ at the Pierre Boulez Hall, and in Kassel, Germany where composer/pianist Samuel Cho will perform ‘Aleppo Songs’ for piano… read more
String quartet completed! Up ahead, GTMF residency, Carnegie Hall, Minnesota Orchestra, clarinet concerto recording
This past week saw the completion of my first string quartet (String Quartet No. 1 Shades of Night), which was commissioned by the Grand Teton Music Festival and where it will be premiered in early August. I will also be the first ever composer-in-residence at GTMF this coming summer and I’m very much looking forward… read more
For some Muslim classical artists, music can speak louder than politics (The Chicago Tribune)
For the record, despite what this article implies, I am not Muslim. Read more here.
Chicago Tribune review of the Grant Park Music Festival premiere of ‘Ramal’ for orchestra
It was an absolute pleasure to be in Chicago for the regional premiere of my ‘Ramal’ for orchestra which was performed by the Grant Park Music Festival Orchestra under Fawzi Haimor. Despite the very stormy weather earlier in the day, the clouds cleared and approximately 4000 people attended the concert that also featured music by… read more
World and regional premieres coming up in Boston, Hamburg, Brussels, London, Chicago, Berlin and New Hampshire
Late winter (if it can be called a winter) and spring are shaping up nicely with a number of concerts coming up. March begins with the world premiere of my ‘Aleppo Songs’ for solo piano by Thomas Stumpf. This concert will take place at the beautiful Distler Hall in Boston on the campus of Tufts… read more
“Aleppo Songs” for solo piano will be available in early 2017
Aleppo Songs for solo piano is a reflection on a number of urban folk songs from Aleppo, known as qudud, as well as original material. All profits from sheet music sales as well as royalties generated from 2016 – 2018 performances will be donated to Doctors Without Borders to support their work in the Middle… read more
Anguish, hope in composer’s response to Syrian catastrophe (The Boston Globe)
Read more here.
The Boston Globe previews “Traces” Boston premiere
I’m grateful to David Weininger for his preview of tomorrow’s Boston premiere of my Traces sextet with pianist Sally Pinkas, clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and the Apple Hill String Quartet.
Words and pictures from August 2016, a summer of orchestras: Philharmonia Orchestra at Abbey Road, Boston Landmarks Orchestra & Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra
It was an absolute thrill to be at Abbey Road Studios this August working with the fantastic musicians of the Philharmonia Orchestra. We had two days of tracking for an album project that I am producing/composing/arranging whose details I will announce in 2017. “Armenian Dances” for Orchestra The Boston Landmarks Orchestra commissioned me to write… read more
Armenian Dances and the echoes of genocide
What’s behind this number? This is a page from my Armenian Dances; an arrangement of traditional dances from the Vasbouragan region of Armenia for the Landmarks Orchestra and Sayat Nova Dance Company. The parts and score finally were completed and delivered today; the same day that the German government recognizes the Armenian genocide. There are… read more
“Embroidered Verses” CD available now
I’m very excited to share the news that a fantastic recording of my new work “Embroidered Verses” for the Crossing Choir, directed by Donald Nally, and the Al-Bustan Takht, directed by Hanna Khoury, is now available here. This is a work that combines my love for the classical Arabic song & poetic form called muwashshahaat… read more