Monday’s (10/29) Deutsche Welle (Germany) includes an interview with Raed Jazbeh, founder of the Syrian Expat Philharmonic Orchestra, whose most recent performance was at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg this week. “Q: How did the orchestra come to be founded? Jazbeh: I worked on music projects for youth, amateurs and professionals in Syria beginning in 2007. When I arrived in Germany in 2013, I started several projects for Syrian music with German orchestras. Then I had the idea of initiating an orchestra for professional Syrian musicians living in Europe.… We gave our first concert performance in September 2015 in Bremen. Q: With the members living in various countries, how much time can you spend together? Jazbeh: We generally get together for three days of rehearsals somewhere in Europe…. We have no funding, so … we perform by invitation only. Q: What kind of music do you play? Jazbeh: Music written for symphony orchestra…. Most of what we play are compositions based on traditional motifs or musical elements…. Some composers create works that express these difficult times. Others do not. We perform, simply, music. Our programs are not based on sending a message. Just sharing beauty.”
Posted November 1, 2018
