Syrian composer Yazan Loujami is the winner of the international Al Quds
Composition Award 2013.
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| Composer Yazan Loujami from Damascus |
The Al-Quds Composition Award was launched and the world premiere of its
winning submission presented by the new Al-Quds University College of Music in East
Jerusalem.
In its second year the award celebrated the
magic and uniqueness of Arabic storytelling and poetry. All participants were
invited to reflect on the poem ‘Qais, Majnoun Laila / قيس ، مجنون ليلى” which
was dedicated by the Palestinian writer and poet Mahmoud Abu Hashash.
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| Poet Mahmoud Abu Hashhash |
The Al Quds Composition Award was
successfully introduced for the first time in 2012 with participants from all
around the world. The award aims to encourage the creation of high quality
chamber music works, which include elements of Oriental and/or Western European
music combined with human voice.
Composers from a.o. Jordan, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand, U.S.A.,
United Kingdom, Poland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Russia, South Korea, Canada
and the Netherlands participated in the second edition of this international
competition for contemporary composition.
+Aipperspach.jpeg "(c) Mona Aipperspach") |
| Pianist Karl Kronthaler and soprano Lisa Mostin during the world premiere in Jerusalem |
This year’s winner Yazan
Loujami is a 19 years old Syrian Composer, born in Damascus in 1994. He started
learning the violin when he was six years and soon got involved in music
composition. He was part in various musical projects like the Syrian children
and youth orchestra. In 2010 his first orchestral work was performed at the
Syrian opera house under the direction of British conductor Howard Williams.
After graduating from
Solhi al-Wadi Music Institute, he studied at the higher institute of Music and
Performing Arts in Damascus, besides being an architecture student.
Yazan Loujami recently
moved to Amman where he will continue his studies. His works include: In search
of Basel (piano), Slama's Waltz (orchestra) and other works for violin and
brass ensembles.
+Aipperspach.jpeg "(c) Aipperspach") |
| Karl Kronthaler, Mahmoud Abu Hashhash, Lisa Mostin and Ferran Sola Albrich after the premiere at Ramallah |
The international
committee of music experts was highly impressed by the powerful musical
imagination, the unique individual style and the virtuosity of the young
composer.
The world premiere of Yazan Loujami’s musical creation “Qais, Majnoun
Laila” was performed by Karl Kronthaler (piano), Lisa Mostin (soprano) and
Ferran Sola Albrich (violoncello) at Hind Al Husseini Theatre Hall in East
Jerusalem.
"The honor of
winning this award means a lot”, said Yazan Loujami. “Even though I couldn't be
there for the premiere; the chance of working with such a promising
institution, and such amazing musicians is priceless, because through this
project I was in contact with a place that is very dear to me and to all
Syrians, and it means that despite all the borders and the checkpoints between
Syria and Palestine, music can still make its way through."
For the world premiere in Jerusalem, which Yazan Lujami was not able to join, he sent the following video message:
Here is the live recording of the very first performance of "Qais, Majnoun Laila" in Jerusalem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9c8afDafLw
For further details please contact: petra@music.alquds.edu
Further information
about the Al Quds College of Music Project plese visit: