Syrian Musician Kamal Ballan Shines at Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Concert Hall
MOSCOW- Arab Music fans in Russia recently had the opportunity to enjoy sweet oriental Arab music played by Syrian Musician Kamal Ballan at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow.
Led by prominent Maestro Vladimir Andropov, Director of the Governmental Academic Bolshoi Theater in Russia, the Russian National Academic Orchestra of Popular Musical Instruments recently held a concert in which Ballan took part through musical performances dedicated to a number of prominent world musicians.
The concert was held to express the diversity of music which matches the diversity of peoples around the world.
In his solo Oud performance, Ballan played the renowned Egyptian Maestro Mohammad Abdul Wahhab’s al-Nahr al-Khaled (Immortal River) symphony in addition to wonderful musical pieces that were composed by prominent Syrian Maestro Farid al-Attrash, within the framework of the world symphonies and musical works.
The applause of the Russian audience after Ballan had finished his performance was strong enough to affirm that they had enjoyed the tunes coming out from the strings of Ballan’s Oud.
Interviewed by SANA correspondent in Moscow, Maestro Andropov hailed the performance of Ballan and referred to the Russian audience’s great interaction with his Arab musical performances.
Regretting the suffering of the Syrian children under the ongoing events in Syria, Andropov stressed that “children have nothing to do with all what is going on in the country.”
Andropov expressed his willingness to visit Syria together with the whole orchestra in order to present concerts to entertain the children of the country.
For his part, musician Ballan said that it was his honor to participate in promoting the Arab culture in Moscow where he has been living for a long time.
“I was proud to represent Syria at this prestigious venue, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, through presenting some of the masterpieces of great Arab maestros Mohammad Abdul Wahhab and Farid al-Atrash,” Ballan said.
He added: “I sought to provide an opportunity to the Russian audience to enjoy Arab music and know how great and diverse our culture is,” Ballan added.
H. Mustafa