Aeham Ahmad, known as the Pianist of Yarmouk, gives concerts throughout Germany and the world and has published a book about his life, also titled The Pianist of Yarmouk. He grew up as a Palestinian refugee in Syria, before fleeing the war there, and came to Germany in 2015.
His concert format often includes passages from his book read aloud by a narrator before his mournful music fills the air. Chords built from Middle Eastern scales and vocalizations are contrasted with virtuosic riffs and passages, combining to evoke fear, sadness and anger. At a concert at the glittering Baroque Konzertgalerie in Steinfurt, Germany, Ahmad also included familiar German tunes, with jazz chords entering the mix. Ahmad enthusiastically encouraged the audience to sing along to both Syrian and German songs as part of the performance. After the concert, I spoke with him about life as a twice-over refugee, his earliest musical training, his experiences of German audiences, and why he’s thinking of changing professions.
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