The celebrated clarinetist shares how compositions written during Syria's darkest years have taken on new meaning following recent political changes, and why he considers making art an essential act of freedom.
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The Spotlight shines on clarinetist and composer Kinan Azmeh.
Earlier this year, Kinan released Live in Berlin, his fourteenth album with his CityBand quartet. The album captures music he wrote during Syria's 2011 uprising—pieces that carry the weight of watching your homeland torn apart from thousands of miles away. Born in Damascus and now based in Brooklyn, Kinan has spent decades crossing the world with his clarinet, performing with Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble, the New York Philharmonic, and countless others.
What makes this release particularly powerful is its timing. As Syrians celebrate newfound freedom after years of struggle, Kinan's music—born from grief and anger—now carries notes of hope. We spoke about these deeply personal compositions and how his twenty-year collaboration with CityBand has evolved into music that encompasses classical, jazz, and Arabic influences.
A technical note: Kinan joined me from Beirut, Lebanon, and although I couldn’t tell while we were recording, I later discovered that our internet connection was not always stable. There are some dropouts and garbles in this episode that we have done our best to clean up; however, even with those, we thought this conversation was worth sharing with you. I know you will agree.
(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from the album Live in Berlin by Kinan Azmeh and CityBand)
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[00:02:03] Academic research and artistic practice
[00:05:48] Education choices and life as a well-rounded musician
[00:08:28] Music as abstract art and worldly experience
[00:09:58] Universality of musical expression across cultures
[00:15:30] "Live in Berlin" album and Syrian uprising compositions
[00:17:26] Jisreen village and therapeutic music-making
[00:19:57] Artist as witness and documentarian
[00:23:21] Engineering quality of the live recording
[00:24:24] "Galileo Galilei" and "Wedding" as epic album closers
[00:29:28] 20-year collaboration with the CityBand
[00:32:47] Working with diverse musical collaborators
[00:37:10] Audience reactions across different geographies
[00:41:18] Taking children on tour and parenthood's impact on music
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Visit Kinan Azmeh at https://www.kinanazmeh.com
and follow him on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/kinan_azmeh
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kinanazmeh
and YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/user/kinanazmeh
Purchase Kinan Azmeh and CityBand’s Live in Berlin from Qobuz → https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/album/live-in-berlin-kinan-azmeh-and-cityband/amlax3ozet6ic
and listen on your streaming platform of choice → https://album.link/i/1799698633
For extensive show notes, links, and podcast information, go to https://www.spotlightonpodcast.com
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