Another priority for veteran artists is stopping the talent exodus, which has potential to accelerate as the country opens up. Abdullah Chaddeh, one of Syria’s most renowned international musicians, spent over a decade in London, where he arrived on a scholarship after graduating from the Damascus Institute of Music.
One of the most acclaimed contemporary players of the qanun, a traditional string instrument, Chaddeh returned to Syria in 2011. 10 years later, he has now opened a concert hall in his own home, giving young artists a stage for the first time. “The main problem for musicians is having a job in Syria and earning enough money,” Chaddeh explains to me.
He managed to buy back his parents’ Damascene house, which they had sold, and transformed it into an artistic haven where young creators can dream and perform at home, without having to leave the country. It is located in a Christian neighbourhood and features an interior courtyard with rows of tables and chairs, ancient stone arches, mosaic floors, and contemporary art on the walls behind the stage.
“If they work as hard as they do in Europe, they will succeed here too,” says Chaddeh. After years spent in Europe and the United States, he always felt something was missing. Now, he has started his own discussions with the Minister of Culture to play an active role in shaping Syria’s new arts and music scene.
It makes for a tense time within the country’s traditional music institutions. Many of the old guard, who were appointed to their positions during Assad’s reign remain in their posts, with others refusing to join them. Azzawi claims that he will not return to the orchestra until he believes that it is inclusive and community driven, in a similar state to how it was before 2011.
“You can’t remove corruption and dictatorship from people’s minds in a few days or weeks, it will take time to return to normal,” Azzawi says. “But we’re ready to do it together. That’s why I didn’t flee, I wanted to see how it ends.
Andrei Popoviciu is an investigative journalist. Follow him on X.
Alexandra Corcode is a photojournalist. Follow her on Instagram.
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