Maya Youssef is a Syrian, UK based musician and composer who plays the qanun. She has announced the release of a new album called Finding Home which will be out on March 25th via Seven Gates. According to the press release, it was written during a period of spiritual awakening. A journey through memories and the essence of home, both within and without. The music – deep and visceral, exploring the full sonic textures of the qanun (the 78 stringed middle eastern equivalent of a piano)
Over time Maya has come to accept the loss of her homeland and in the process of grieving (which she explored in her album ‘Syrian Dreams’ in 2018) she has found a much greater sense of home in the most spiritual sense As any Syrian will tell you, there is this overwhelming sense of loss and grief for loved ones and places; the world which existed before the war, despite it naturally having problems, was a beautiful world. With a booming economy, artistic scene, film festivals and visiting international artists, there was such a sense of artistic expansion and goodness.
The above-mentioned loss was heart wrenching and with Maya’s latest album she wanted to take people through a transformative journey, where they land in that place of home for them. No matter what that means to each person.
Key partners who have helped bring the album together include Opera North who provided a professional quartet from their orchestra and commissioned Silver Lining; The British Museum who commissioned Maya to write Soul Fever and Invitation to Day Dream from the album and Wiltshire Music Centre who provided a wonderful space to record the album.
Today we have the pleasure to share the official video for the track “Walk With Me” which was written in COVID lockdown in April 2020 and was commissioned by BBC Radio 3. Watch it below.