Damascus Band performed a musical evening in Moscow

MOSCOW, (ST)-Yesterday, Damascus Band held a musical evening in Moscow dedicated to introducing the Russian audience to Syriac music and its ancient history in Syria, in the presence of the Syrian Ambassador to Russia, Bashar Al-Jaafari.

The band presented many Syrian melodies, chants, hymns, and church songs in the Arabic and Syriac languages, under the supervision of the academician Andrei Makdisi, and led by Maestro Misak Bagboudrian, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

The band participated in the concert at invitations of the organizers of the 17th International Music Festival “Moscow Forum”.

The evening’s program included 19 musical and lyrical pieces that simulate different stages of the development of the various Syriac rituals, including a set of folkloric melodies, church songs and hymns.

“We came from Syria, the country of love and peace, to share with you our art, our history and our love, and we thank you for this wonderful reception” Makdisi said at the end of the ceremony.

For his part, Bagboudrian said that the band started its activity in Damascus and then it moved to Moscow and Novosibirsk later, and it received an invitation to participate next year in the Sochi International Festival, with a possibility to participate in a concert in Petersburg.

He also referred to the strong relations between Syria and Russia, especially in the field of music, asserting that these relations were enhanced by the presence of Soviet experts who trained many Syrian youths in particular.

“Syrian musicians enriched our experience with their wonderful performance, and this was the first time we listen to Christian music from Syria, especially since most of the population of Russia embraces Eastern Orthodox Christianity and even though the chants and hymns that we heard today were in Arabic and Syriac, but they stirred our spiritual and heartfelt feelings “, Yulla, presenter of the concert, said.

A member of the audience said: “It was an amazing party, and the melodies and hymns performed by the Syrian musicians and singers touched our deep feelings.”

Basma Qaddour