Malek Jandali

Malek Jandali (, ) (born 1972) is a Syrian-American

Jandali immigrated to the United States and studied music in North Carolina. Since then, he has performed with orchestras 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. with "heart-rending melodies, lush orchestration, clever transitions and creative textures", according to American Record Guide. Jandali's music ranges from chamber works to large symphonic compositions integrating Middle-Eastern and Western influences. He is the biological paternal cousin of Steve Jobs and Mona Simpson.

Early life and education Malek Jandali was born to Mamoun Jandali and Lina Droubi, citizens of Homs in Syria. He has a cousin, Mona Simpson, a novelist and English teacher at UCLA. Other cousins include Mona's brother, Steve Jobs, founder of Apple.

He began his musical career as a classical pianist after his studies at the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus with Vladimir Zaritsky and Victor Bunin of the Tchaikovsky Moscow Conservatory.

In 2004 he received his master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Jandali currently lives in New York City.

Career As performer Jandali has performed in London, Cairo, Damascus, Istanbul, Paris, Atlanta, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Cadogan Hall, The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, the Madinat Theater in Dubai, Sydney Opera House, National Museum of Qatar, and Museum of the Future in Dubai.

Jandali's compositions have been performed, recorded and commissioned by including the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, The Stockholm Solister and the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra.

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 or orchestras. 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 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 in New York City and contains compositions that are inspired by and named after the works of Sufi poets Rumi and Ibn Arabi as well as poets Rita Dove, Gabriela Mistral among others.

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, MSF, Save The Children among others, to raise humanitarian aid for children in need around the world. He has visited refugee camps in Turkey, Syria, Croatia and Malta 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, 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 (ADC) was cancelled, reportedly because he planned to perform Watani Ana. and was featured in the 2014 BBC series "What Freedom Looks Like". In 2016, he performed and spoke at the annual Skoll World Forum at Oxford University and Aspen Ideas Festival. In 2017 he spoke at the Sydney Ideas at the University of Sydney. In 2021, he spoke at the closing ceremony of the World Innovation Summit of Education (WISE) and in 2022 he performed at the Generation Amazing opening ceremony during FIFA World Cup Qatar.

Jandali has given lectures, masterclasses and workshops at numerous universities and institutions such as Harvard, Duke, Columbia, UCLA, Notre Dame, Rice, Vanderbilt, Fordham, CU Boulder, and Queens.

Awards The 2011 Freedom of Expression Award - CAIR Los Angeles, USA, 2011 2015 Great Immigrant "Pride of America" by the Carnegie Corporation of New York 2024 Best of Classical Music by the Washington Post

Discography

Albums Echoes from Ugarit, 2009 Emessa (Homs), 2012 Syrian Symphony / Phoenix in Exile, 2014 SoHo, 2015 Hiraeth, 2016 The Jasmine Tree, 2018 Piano Concerto No. 1, 2021 The Desert Rose, 2022 Violin and Clarinet Concertos, 2023

EPs and singles Watani Ana (I am my Homeland), 2011 Syria – Anthem of the Free, 2013 Ya Allah (O God), 2013 The Moonlight, 2015 Woman'', 2023