Kanun player, composer, and AFI Safe Haven Incubator for Musicians (SHIM) Musician-in-Residence Firas Zreik has transformed the global perception of the Kanun (Mediterranean harp). His treatment of the instrument preserves its identity as a vital part of the Maqam tradition, and stretches its potential as a cultural chameleon enhancing a range of fresh, evolving sounds. In live performances, the Palestine-born New Yorker conjures a complexity of emotion that shape-shifts throughout his sets. This commitment to stark exploration has sent him around the world, performing at storied venues, intimate clubs and international festivals.

This concert is presented with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

ABOUT FIRAS

Artist-composer, Kanunist and educator Firas Zreik has performed and recorded across the world as a leader and highly sought collaborator since 2013. A sonic revolutionary, the Palestine-born New Yorker has transformed global perception of the Kanun.

Zreik received his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Berklee College of Music in Boston — where he received a full presidential scholarship — completing a double major in Performance and Jazz Composition. He has received global recognition for his artistry and, in 2023, was the recipient of a Macdowell fellowship, the leading artist residency program in the US.

Over the years, he has collaborated with a cross section of leaders, including Roger Waters, Simon Shaheen, Amir ElSaffar, Fabrizio Cassol, Marwan Khoury, Abeer Nehmeh, Walid Toufic, Elias Karam, Shreya Goshal, Shankar Mahadevan, Aynur Dogan, G.E. Smith, David Broza and his internationally-renowned mother and frequent artistic partner Amal Murkus, for whom he serves as musical director. He has performed all over the US, both as a leader or accompanist at venues such as The Lincoln Center, The Jazz Gallery, Joe’s Pub, Bryant Park, Historic Green-Wood, The Smithsonian Museum, Savannah Music Festival, Hill Auditorium, Boston Symphony Hall and Berklee College of Music.

Check out Firas’ website here and explore more of his music on bandcamp.

ABOUT SAFE HAVEN INCUBATOR FOR MUSICIANS: NYC

Developed and launched by Artistic Freedom Initiative and Tamizdat, the Safe Haven Incubator for Musicians: New York City (SHIM:NYC), is designed for displaced musicians at risk. SHIM:NYC matches our musicians in residence with carefully selected mentors, providing them with an opportunity to develop a specific work, hone their skills, and expand their professional network. Through SHIM:NYC’s partnership with Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater and the Joe’s Pub Working Group, each musician in residence receives individually tailored professional development and the opportunity to perform on the Joe’s Pub stage. Learn more.