Malek Jandali, whose “Elegy” will be given its world premiere by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra on the Jan. 18 concert honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Photo by Dan Carmody.
Composer and pianist Malek Jandali “was raised in Syria,” writes Adam Bell in Friday’s (1/12) Charlotte Observer (NC). “As war continues to ravage his beloved country, Jandali has dedicated his career to preserving and celebrating Syrian and Mesopotamian culture through music. That includes an orchestral piece he wrote in 2013 called ‘Elegy,’ based on an ancient Syrian melody … That work finally will get its world premiere as part of the Charlotte Symphony’s ‘Together We Rise’ concert honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The concert will be held … on Jan. 18, just two days after the federal MLK Day holiday. ‘Together We Rise’ will feature music from several composers exploring the themes of freedom, strength, and justice … For Jandali, a quote from King’s 1964 Nobel Peace Prize lecture, ‘The Quest for Peace and Justice’ felt appropriate to what the musician is trying to achieve, and the state of the world today.” Other composers on the program are Beethoven, Carlos Simon, Nia Imani Franklin, and Daniel Bernard Roumain. CSO Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees will lead the concert.
