MUSIC

Rice University - Shepherd School of Music presents Malek Jandali Live in Houston! Echoes from Ugarit: The Oldest Music Notation in the World! Featuring Malek Jandali, piano.  Saturday, October 9 at 8pm in Stude Concert Hall.

Award-winning composer and pianist Malek Jandali's latest project, Echoes from Ugarit, is based on the oldest music notation in the world, dating back to 3400 B.C., discovered in the ancient city of Ugarit on the Mediterranean coast of Syria. This first arrangement for piano and orchestra was recorded with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra in Moscow.

The project is an attempt to present the rich musical heritage of the Levant region. It has been performed with several leading symphony orchestras around the world and has been received with critical acclaim in Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

This solo piano concert will feature Mr. Jandali's latest original compositions.

Composer and Pianist Malek Jandali is one of Syria's most versatile and imaginative musicians. His curiosity and wide-ranging musical interests have taken him in many different directions, forging a unique career and establishing a rare reputation. Malek began his musical career as a pianist, winning the first prize at the National Young Artists' competition of Syria in 1988.

Born in Germany to Syrian parents in 1972, he started his piano studies at the Jugendmusikschule, then at the Arab Conservatory of Music and the High Institute of Music in Damascus with Vladimir Zaritski and Victor Bunin from the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. As a young child, Malek enjoyed all forms of art and at the age of 9 he appeared in his first public piano recital in his home town of Homs. Having studied classical piano from an early age, and despite his enthusiasm for the compositions of JS Bach, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff, he soon began displaying a gift of improvisation.

In 1995 he received a full scholarship to the United States to pursue advanced studies in music at the North Carolina School of the Arts with Eric Larsen. Active as a performer for many years, he decided to shift his attention to composition after graduating with a BA in music from Queens University. During his studies there under Paul Nitsch, he received numerous prizes including the Stegner Foundation for the Arts Fellowship and the 1997 Outstanding Musical Performer Award. He studied composition and orchestration with Eddie Horst, Harry Bulow, Lawrence Dillon and Richard Prior. In 2004, he completed his Master Degree from the University of North Carolina.

In the recording studio he has created an eclectic body of compositions. Malek has a deep interest in writing music for dramatic purposes and has often drawn upon visual images for musical inspiration. His compositions range from solo instrumental pieces to large ensemble and orchestral works. His music is dynamic, energetic and powerful, combining orchestra with piano and Arabic modes and melodies.

The release of his album "Echoes from Ugarit", which was recorded with the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, was accompanied by a hugely successful tour of the US, Europe and the Middle east. Malek is the first Syrian musician to arrange the music of this ancient civilization and has performed his work with several symphony orchestras in Europe and North America.

Malek has a special interest in Arabic music where he incorporates the Arabic Maqams with Western harmony in his piano and orchestral compositions. His constantly expanding horizons have led him to become a unique composer with the ability to juxtapose oriental melodies with complex harmony to end up with an original blend of civilizations.

He also experiments not only with live, acoustical instruments, but also the implementation of MIDI and electronic sounds. A prolific composer, Malek has written and produced music for corporate multimedia, video presentation and commercials. Recent projects include scoring music for an independent film, television programs and documentaries.

His diverse career remains truly international, as he continues to captivate audiences in concerts throughout North America, Europe and Middle East. He has appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra of Syria, played with the West End Orchestra in the U.S., and accepted the honor of performing before the presidents of Syria and Hungary. Current and future plans include tours of U.S. and Canada, the opening season of the Ludwig Orchestra in Atlanta, as well as solo performances in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and United Arab Emirates. Future recording plans and productions include solo piano music and works for violin cello and piano as well as several orchestral works for films and theater with members of the illustrious Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Malek is a member of The Recording Academy and The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). In the precious little time he has away from his office, the concert platform and his recording studio in Atlanta, he travels with his wife Yasmine and enjoys learning about other cultures. One of his most memorable performances was playing Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor.

Performance Timing: One hour, with no intermission.