On a visit to Damascus in 2009, on the recommendation of two women I met in a CD shop, I purchased 'Musique Des Derviches Tourneurs de Damas'
Al-Kindi, who was born in Basra and lived in the ninth century, was known as 'The Philosopher of the Islamic empire'.
L'ensemble Al-Kindi
"Established in 1983 by Julien Bernard Jallal Edin Weiss in homage to...
Not so long ago, while driving my elderly mother to an appointment, I recorded traffic noises, snatches of our conversation, and, through the cacophony of traffic sounds, came the pure voice of Fairuz, the Lebanese diva cherished by people across Syria.
Susan Dirgham
Our Need for Music
Below is a quote from the 1964 book Music Education in the Primary School, published in Melbourne, Australia....
An RT Documentary, this video was first posted in February 2019, when people living in most Syrian cities and towns could breathe a lot easier, and had cause to look forward to peace.
'Syrian Tango' features a sculptor, Tango dancers, a documentary film maker, and a composer/musician. In giving a voice to these artists, the documentary presents Syrian people at...
I was in Damascus for just over a week, and in a taxi with Athar and Rana on our way to the old city. First for a stroll in the Souq Al-Hamidiyah and then onto Beit Jabri for a juice and maybe lunch.
It's September 2019. Life has its burdens for the locals, no doubt, but they can still smile....
Days full of music and joy
I came to Australia with my family in March 2015, so I have been here for two years. We are sorry that we had to come here as refugees, but we feel very lucky to be able to come here. We are really grateful to the people of Australia for accepting us and...
Image of Fadi Haddad taken by Ms Jacqueline Mitelman
"For me, the oud is my soulmate.
It's like a mirror reflecting my feelings."
- by Fadi
Fadi’s love for the oud
In 2015, Fadi Haddad with his parents, sister and young niece came to Australia as refugees from Syria. They had lived in Hama, near Homs, a city that sits on a rich agricultural...
Faia and Rihan Younan were born in the village of Al-Malikiyah, Syria, and grew up in the city of Aleppo. They moved to Sweden with their parents when Faia was 11 years old.
Faia studied at Glasgow University and she moved to Beirut when she decided to become a professional singer.Â
'To Our Countries' has had nearly 7 million views.
In August 2015,...
Over lunch, I interviewed Hana about Fairuz, the Lebanese singer that Syrians across the country listen to in the mornings. Hana's daughter Karla helped translate.
