Music is an important element in every culture. Here we offer a few memoirs that tell life stories where music played for the author a role as escape, emotional support, or affirmation of their identity.
The Pianist of Yarmouk
Aeham Ahmad’s, A Moving Memoir ” is a moving memoir that describes the story of the author, who was born in Syria to a Palestinian family. During the bombing in Damascus in 2012, Aeham Ahmad decides to bring his piano onto the street, and to play to ease the suffering of the population, and take the children’s minds off the destruction. His videos went viral. In 2015, he was forced to leave, and he made it to Germany via the dangerous Balkan route, with thousands of other refugees. Now he performs in concert halls all over Europe, and is a successful man, but he is far away from his family. Music represents his comfort, but also a powerful message of integration.
Sigh, gone: A misfit’s memoir of great books, punk rock, and the fight to fit in
by Phuc Tran is the story of the author when he moved to America with his family in 1975, during the fall of Saigon. Between racism, a sense of isolation, and identity challenges, Tran finds comfort in reading classics and punk music. An honest recounting of how hard it was for a Vietnamese to feel welcome in American culture, of the injustices his parents had to endure, and of how the love for music is not only a refuge from a difficult reality, but also artistic inspiration, and a lifeline.
Purpose: An immigrant’s story
by Wyclef Jean is a memoir about the author’s childhood in Haiti, and their escape to the United States when Wyclef was only 9 years old. In the US, he finds his path and success with the hip-hop group The Fugees, a term that is brief for “refugees”. A life not always easy, but full of success and falls, infidelities and scandals.
A life in Music
by Daniel Barenboim is the story of the author, born in Buenos Aires in 1942, of his innate talent as a pianist, then as a composer. Barenboim’s career is extraordinary, and he conducted many renowned orchestras – the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Paris, and the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra. Besides his passion for music, Barenboim is known for his strong political activism, advocating for a peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians. He brought his music to Ramallah and created music summer camps for Middle-Eastern students in Germany. In 2002, he received the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation and Peace.
Read some interesting articles about music and expatriation:
- A lesson in life and humanity: The story of Michele Cantoni in Palestine
Michele is an Italian musician who has been living in Palestine since 2004. In this article, he tells his story as a music teacher and his projects as the director of the Palestine National Orchestra;
- Dalla musica al cuore e ritorno: Laura Hassler’s story
Laura is the founder of Musicians Without Borders, a project that aims to bring peace and promote empathy among people, using the power of music.
Alessandra Giacchi
Cover by Jean-Paul Wright from Pexels .