Musician and composer Maya Youssef takes us on her unique journey with the qanun. Currently based in London, Maya delves into her early musical upbringing in Damascus to challenging traditional perceptions of the 78-stringed Instrument and developing her own innovative approach to composition and teaching. She discusses the profound connection between the qanun and human emotion, and how music became a form of prayer and healing during personal and global turmoil. Maya also delves into the intricacies of Arabic music theory, improvisation, and the importance of embodying music.
0:00 The Expressive Power of the Qanun
0:05 Composing During Wartime: Music as Prayer
0:27 Discovering the Qanun and Defying Expectations
2:00 Musical Upbringing in Damascus
4:04 Early Music Education and Discipline
5:37 The Qanun's Call and a Taxi Driver's Challenge
9:00 Critiquing Traditional Qanun Education
11:59 The Struggle with Improvisation (Taqasim)
15:39 An Illuminating Experience in Aleppo
18:45 Unlearning Theory and Embracing Organic Learning
22:59 Demonstrating Maqam Switches
24:42 Foundational Maqamat and Their Evolution
29:08 Composing "Queen of the Night"
33:37 The Songwriting Process: Music as Healing
38:00 The Emotional Spectrum of the Qanun
40:46 "Samai of Trees" and Orchestral Collaborations
44:51 Unintentional Influences
49:10 Collaboration with Musicians and Sheet Music
51:54 The Qanun's Role and Limitations
53:20 The "Qanun Goats"
54:50 The Search for the Best Qanun Maker
56:05 Connecting with Maya Youssef
Maya Youssef is a qanun player and composer from Damascus now based in the UK. Her music is rooted in the Arabic classical tradition but forges pathways into jazz, Western classical and Latin styles. It explores the emotional and healing qualities of music. Her debut album Syrian Dreams, produced by Joe Boyd, was highly-acclaimed in music press around the world and has led to many awards, performances on prestigious stages. She describes her highest honor to be naming the Year 6 class of Dalmain Primary School in London "Youssef" in recognition of her inspirational work.
Connect with Maya Youssef 👉 https://instagram.com/mayayoussefmusic
Hosted by Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://instagram.com/mikey_mu
Theme music: Peninsular, Tarek Yamani 🔊
FOLLOW & RATE THE QUARTERTONES PODCAST:
» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afikra-quartertones/id1646407556
» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/26VHvC6yVOxlRFjeOts6uf
» Anghami: https://play.anghami.com/podcast/1044639452
THIS SERIES IS PART OF THE AFIKRA PODCAST NETWORK
Explore all episodes in this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfYG40bwRKl7FiLcdH_iSgv4RiXEy4GAh
ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
📍 Local events in 40+ locations worldwide http://afikra.com/chapters
🎧 New podcasts + videos weekly http://afikra.com/podcasts
⚡ Become a member: https://www.afikra.com/membership
🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afikra_
🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/afikra.official
🔗 Twitter: https://twitter.com/afikra
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.