(Waed Bouhassoun / Syria, the concert)

The repertoire of the young Syrians artist consists mainly of old Arab love poems, in which the characteristic melodious modulations melt with the sounds of oud lute. The songs express longing and beauty, tell about feelings, they strike with their intensity, and at the same time they offer a safe, peaceful haven. Among them there are love poems from pre-Islamic times, the pieces of mystic poets, medieval Arabic-Andalusian works, and even contemporary poetry. Waed draws on many sources, making her repertoire the manifesto of her identity. “My inspiration is the culture of my country, its poetry and spirituality. My oud is always with me. Its sounds are the words of the language in which I express my joy, my love, my suffering. They also tell about the suffering of my country. To me, music is a necessity, an imperative; it gives the rhythm to my days. I live for it and thanks to it. It connects me with my land, my family, my friends. To me music is everything.”