Malek Jandali
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Malek Jandali ( ar, مالك جندلي, ) (born 1972) is a German-born Syrian- American
pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
and composer. He is the founder of the nonprofit organization Pianos for Peace, which aims to build peace through music and education. Jandali immigrated to the United States and studied music in
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
. Since then, he has performed with
orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
s across the world and composed a number of modern classical works. His music was described as "a major new addition to the 21st century symphonic literature" by
Fanfare Magazine ''Fanfare'' is an American bimonthly magazine devoted to reviewing recorded music in all playback formats. It mainly covers classical music, but since inception, has also featured a jazz column in every issue. History and profile ''Fanfare'' wa ...
with "heart-rending melodies, lush orchestration, clever transitions and creative textures", according to
American Record Guide The ''American Record Guide'' (''ARG'') is a classical music magazine. It has reviewed classical music recordings since 1935. History and profile The magazine was founded by Peter Hugh Reed in May 1935 as the ''American Music Lover''. It chang ...
. Jandali's music ranges from
chamber works Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numb ...
to large symphonic compositions integrating Middle-Eastern and Western influences.


Life

Malek Jandali was born to Dr Mamoun Jandali and Lina Droubi, citizens of Homs in Syria. He has a brother, Rami, and a cousin,
Mona Simpson Mona Simpson (née Jandali; June 14, 1957) is an American novelist. She has written six novels and studied English at the University of California, Berkeley and Languages and Literature at Columbia University. She won a Whiting Award for her fir ...
, a novelist and English teacher at UCLA. Other cousins include Mona's brother, Steve Jobs, and Bassma Al Jandaly, a Russian-born Emirati journalist. He began his musical career as a classical
pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...
after his studies at the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus with Vladimir Zaritsky and Victor Bunin of the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory. Jandali won first place in the Syrian National Young Artists Competition in 1988, and in 1995 received a scholarship to attend
North Carolina School of the Arts The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is an arts school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It grants high school, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Founded in 1963 as the North Carolina School of the Arts by then-Governo ...
under Eric Larsen. He graduated from Queens University, where he studied under Paul Nitsch and received the Outstanding Musical Performer Award of the school. While in the
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
area, he was an organist and choir director for St. James Catholic Church in
Concord, North Carolina Concord is the county seat and largest city in Cabarrus County, in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 105,186, with an estimated population in 2021 of 107,697. In terms of population, the cit ...
. He studied composition and orchestration with Eddie Horst, Harry Bulow, Lawrence Dillon and Richard Prior. In 2004 he received his
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
from the
University of North Carolina at Charlotte The University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte) is a public research university in Charlotte, North Carolina. UNC Charlotte offers 24 doctoral, 66 master's, and 79 bachelor's degree programs through nine colle ...
and in 2015 the Carnegie Corporation of New York named him a "Pride of America" honoree for his notable contributions to society. Jandali currently lives in New York City.


Music


As performer

Jandali has performed in
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
,
Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...
, Damascus,
Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...
,
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
,
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, at the
United Nations Headquarters zh, 联合国总部大楼french: Siège des Nations uniesrussian: Штаб-квартира Организации Объединённых Наций es, Sede de las Naciones Unidas , image = Midtown Manhattan Skyline 004.jpg , im ...
in New York, the
Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...
in Washington, D.C., the Stude Hall of the
Shepherd School of Music The Shepherd School of Music is a music school located on the campus of Rice University in Houston, Texas. From its inception in 1974Ericson, R."Unafraid, a New Music School Opens; NOT JUST MOSTLY MOZART" ''The New York Times'', March 10, 1974, ...
at
Rice University William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a private research university in Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranked among the top universities ...
in Houston, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, the Kaufman Center and Carnegie Hall in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
,
National Auditorium National Auditorium ( es, Auditorio Nacional) is an entertainment center at Paseo de la Reforma #50, Chapultepec in Mexico City. The National Auditorium is considered among the world's best venues by specialized media. It was designed by Mexic ...
in Madrid, Cadogan Hall,
The Royal Conservatory of Music The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), branded as The Royal Conservatory, is a non-profit music education institution and performance venue headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1886 by Edward Fisher as The Toronto Con ...
in Toronto, and the Madinat Theater in Dubai. He has performed with orchestras including the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, the
Russian Philharmonic Orchestra The Russian Philharmonic Orchestra is an orchestra based in Moscow. Recordings of the orchestra have been released on Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporatio ...
, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Ludwig Symphony Orchestra, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, The Stockholm Solister and the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra at
Damascus Opera House , native_name_lang = ar , image = Damascus Opera House.jpg , image_size = , image_alt = , caption = Damascus Opera House at the Umayyad Square (2010) , alt = , image_map ...
. In 2013 he launched his ongoing world tour "The Voice of the Free Syrian Children" from the Berman Center in Detroit to raise awareness and much needed humanitarian aid for the suffering Syrian children. The tour reached Europe and the Middle East with benefit concerts along with lectures and academic workshops.


As composer

Jandali has composed works ranging from solo instrumental pieces to chamber music and works for large
ensemble Ensemble may refer to: Art * Architectural ensemble * Ensemble (album), ''Ensemble'' (album), Kendji Girac 2015 album * Ensemble (band), a project of Olivier Alary * Ensemble cast (drama, comedy) * Ensemble (musical theatre), also known as the ...
or orchestras. He has a special interest in
Arab music Arabic music or Arab music ( ar, الموسيقى العربية, al-mūsīqā al-ʿArabīyyah) is the music of the Arab world with all its diverse music styles and genres. Arabic countries have many rich and varied styles of music and also man ...
and combines the maqamat or modes with western harmony in his piano and orchestral compositions. Malek's compositions not only integrate Middle-Eastern modes into Western classical forms and harmony, they echo
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
's call to preserve and protect the rich cultural heritage of Syria and the Silk Road at a time when it is in danger of being eradicated. He incorporates ancient melodies from Aleppo, Damascus and other stops on the Silk Road in his compositions. He released his first album of compositions for piano and orchestra, '' Echoes from Ugarit'', in June 2009. The album was briefly in the international music charts of the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...
. The title track is based on a hymn to Nikkal, one of the
Hurrian songs The Hurrian songs are a collection of music inscribed in cuneiform on clay tablets excavated from the ancient AmoriteDennis Pardee, "Ugaritic", in The Ancient Languages of Syria-Palestine and Arabia'', edited by Roger D. Woodard, 5–6. (Cambrid ...
inscribed on
cuneiform Cuneiform is a logo-syllabic script that was used to write several languages of the Ancient Middle East. The script was in active use from the early Bronze Age until the beginning of the Common Era. It is named for the characteristic wedge-sh ...
clay tablets discovered in
Ugarit ) , image =Ugarit Corbel.jpg , image_size=300 , alt = , caption = Entrance to the Royal Palace of Ugarit , map_type = Near East#Syria , map_alt = , map_size = 300 , relief=yes , location = Latakia Governorate, Syria , region = ...
, Syria, and thought to date from 1400 BC and thus to be the oldest notated music in the world. In early 2012 Jandali released his album ''Emessa (Homs)'', which he dedicated to "the Syrian people and their noble quest for freedom - especially the people of Homs". The album includes his ''Freedom Qashoush Symphony'', named after Ibrahim Qashoush, who wrote a song popular with Syrian protesters and who was killed and had his
vocal cords In humans, vocal cords, also known as vocal folds or voice reeds, are folds of throat tissues that are key in creating sounds through vocalization. The size of vocal cords affects the pitch of voice. Open when breathing and vibrating for speec ...
torn out. Jandali's ''Syrian Symphony'' was released in late 2014 and premiered at Carnegie Hall in January 2015. The album includes three major works, "Syrian Symphony" presented in four movements recorded with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, "Variations for Piano and Orchestra", based on the ancient Syrian theme '''Lamma Bada Yatathana, and "Phoenix in Exile", recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. In 2015 his latest album ''SoHo'' was released, which tells the story of his journey from Syria to
SoHo Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develo ...
in New York City and contains compositions that are inspired by and named after the works of Sufi poets Rumi and
Ibn Arabi Ibn ʿArabī ( ar, ابن عربي, ; full name: , ; 1165–1240), nicknamed al-Qushayrī (, ) and Sulṭān al-ʿĀrifīn (, , ' Sultan of the Knowers'), was an Arab Andalusian Muslim scholar, mystic, poet, and philosopher, extremely influen ...
as well as poets
Rita Dove Rita Frances Dove (born August 28, 1952) is an American poet and essayist. From 1993 to 1995, she served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. She is the first African American to have been appointed since the positi ...
,
Gabriela Mistral Lucila Godoy Alcayaga (; 7 April 1889 – 10 January 1957), known by her pseudonym Gabriela Mistral (), was a Chilean poet-diplomat, educator and humanist. In 1945 she became the first Latin American author to receive a Nobel Prize in Li ...
among others. The album features his chamber works for piano,
oud , image=File:oud2.jpg , image_capt=Syrian oud made by Abdo Nahat in 1921 , background= , classification= * String instruments *Necked bowl lutes , hornbostel_sachs=321.321-6 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum , ...
and cello, performed by the Malek Jandali Trio.


Activism and other endeavors

Jandali is the founder of nonprofit organization 'Pianos for Peace', which aspires to use the power of music to enrich communities through an annual outdoor festival and several year-round community outreach programs serving under-resourced local schools and organizations in Atlanta. He is also the founder of the Malek Jandali International Youth Piano Competition, which encourages talented young pianists from around the globe to embrace the music of their homelands and submit applications for the chance to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Jandali frequently contributes to charity events collaborating with international organization's
UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to ...
, MSF,
Save The Children The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, is an international non-governmental organization established in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic ...
among others, to raise humanitarian aid for children in need around the world. He has visited refugee camps in
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
, Syria,
Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...
and
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
to raise awareness and humanitarian aid for refugees, and was inspired to launch his ongoing world tour "The Voice of the Free Syrian Children" in 2013. That same year he was awarded the GUSI International Peace Prize for his humanitarian and peace activism. In 2014 Jandali was awarded the Global Music Humanitarian Award for his contribution to peace and justice for the Syrian children. Inspired by stories from the
Arab Spring The Arab Spring ( ar, الربيع العربي) was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in Tunisia in response to corruption and econo ...
, in April 2011 Jandali wrote ''Watani Ana (I am my Homeland)''. In June his scheduled appearance at the annual convention of the
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) states that it is "the largest Arab American grassroots civil rights organization in the United States." According to its webpage it is open to people of all backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities ...
(ADC) was cancelled, reportedly because he planned to perform ''Watani Ana''. The initial statement issued by the ADC did not make clear the reason for the cancellation, and attracted criticism from other organizations including the
Arab-American Institute The Arab American Institute (AAI) is a non-profit membership organization that advocates for the interests of Arab-Americans. Founded in 1985 by James Zogby, the brother of pollster John Zogby, the organization is based in Washington, D.C. The ...
. The ADC issued a further statement in April 2012, in which it said that it had reached "an amicable resolution" with Jandali. In July 2011 Jandali performed ''Watani Ana'' at a protest in Lafayette Park. Shortly afterwards, his parents, Dr. Mamoun Jandali and Lina Droubi, were severely beaten and their home in Homs was ransacked. Jandali blamed Syrian security forces for the attack, and told reporters that as his mother was beaten, she was told "we're going to teach you how to raise your son." Photographs published on Facebook showed evidence that the couple had been brutally beaten. In September two armed attackers broke into the house and again ransacked it; Jandali's parents were not there, as they had fled Syria after the previous attack. Jandali is regularly invited to speak and participate in panel discussions and academic workshops. He was on the panel of the 2012 Doha Debates at
Georgetown University in Qatar Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) is a campus of Georgetown University ( Washington, D.C.) in Education City, outside of Doha, Qatar. It is one of Georgetown University's eleven undergraduate and graduate schools, and is supported by a partn ...
and was featured in the 2014 BBC series "What Freedom Looks Like". In 2016, he spoke at the annual
Skoll World Forum The Skoll Foundation is a private foundation based in Palo Alto, California. The foundation makes grants and investments intended to reduce global poverty. Jeffrey Skoll created the foundation in 1999. The total assets of the foundation (includ ...
at Oxford University and Aspen Ideas Festival. Jandali has given lectures, masterclasses and workshops at numerous universities and institutions such as Duke, Rutgers, Fordham, CU Boulder, the Hammer Museum and
Complutense University of Madrid The Complutense University of Madrid ( es, Universidad Complutense de Madrid; UCM, links=no, ''Universidad de Madrid'', ''Universidad Central de Madrid''; la, Universitas Complutensis Matritensis, links=no) is a public research university loc ...
.


Awards

* National Young Artists Competition - First Prize - Syria, 1988 * The Stegner Foundation for the Arts Fellowship * Queens University - Outstanding Musical Performer - USA, 1997 * The 2011 Freedom of Expression Award - CAIR Los Angeles, USA, 2011 * Culture and Arts Achievement Award, Network of Arab American Professionals of New York, 2012 * The 2013 GUSI International Peace Prize * The 2014 Gold Medal from the Global Medal Awards * The Global Music Humanitarian Award, Los Angeles 2014 * Great Immigrant "Pride of America" Honoree from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, 2015


Discography


Albums

* ''Echoes from Ugarit'', 2009 * '' Emessa (Homs)'', 2012 * ''Syrian Symphony'', 2014 * ''SoHo'', 2015


EPs and singles

* ''Watani Ana (I am my Homeland)'', 2011 * ''Syria – Anthem of the Free'', 2013 * ''Ya Allah (O God)'', 2013 * ''The Moonlight'', 2015


References

*


External links


Official Website

Malek Jandali
on
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

Malek Jandali
on CD Baby
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Media


Malek Jandali on CNN
September, 2011
Malek Jandali on National Geographic
January, 2015
Malek Jandali BBC Interview
March, 2014
Malek Jandali WABE (NPR) "City Lights" Interview
August, 2015
Malek Jandali on NPR Weekend Edition Saturday
April, 2014
Malek Jandali on CBC Radio "q"
August, 2015
Malek Jandali on DW TV
February, 2012 {{DEFAULTSORT:Jandali, Malek 1972 births Living people American experimental musicians American sound artists 21st-century classical composers Syrian musicologists Syrian composers People from Homs Video game composers Syrian musicians Syrian emigrants to the United States Syrian classical pianists Queen's University at Kingston alumni University of North Carolina at Charlotte alumni Articles containing video clips American contemporary classical composers American male classical composers American classical composers American opera composers Male opera composers 21st-century American composers Contemporary classical music performers American male classical pianists 21st-century classical pianists 21st-century American male musicians