song 1 for Portfolio - berklee nyc
"Hope for Syria" in my portfolio marks a powerful and ambitious endeavor, born out of a deep-seated conviction to shed light on the dire condition of women and children in Syria and advocate for a more compassionate global perspective. Motivated by a poignant encounter with a fellow Berklee student from Syria, who courageously shared the challenges of separation from her family, I gathered a diverse ensemble of over 35 musicians from around the world to craft a song amplifying the collective support for Syria.
I deeply contemplate the distressing reality that a few perpetrators instigating violence often result in the suffering of common people, particularly disturbing in light of leaders from others nations openly bombarding missiles onto civilian populations— a sentiment also tragically resonant in the current situation in Palestine. I truly believe art has the power to transform lives and this project stands as a testament to my commitment to using music as a catalyst for global awareness and compassion.
Each vocal line in the verses and pre-choruses is sung a different language, featuring singers from various countries and cultures, symbolizing the unity of the global community with Syria. The project, both audacious and heartfelt, required orchestration on multiple fronts—I took on the roles of a traditional music producer, co-arranger and conductor for a comprehensive ensemble encompassing a full string section, a choir, and a band. Beyond producing the song, I co-authored its English lyrics, found other artists for translations into multiple languages, and meticulously crafted the arrangement along with two other arrangers.
While the song awaits its public release, discussions are underway with mentors at the Berklee Indian Ensemble to feature it in their upcoming album. I firmly believe that, with further experience and refinement, this song has the potential to become even more impactful. Some creations, I believe, are worth the wait until they reach their utmost potential, and this song stands as a testament to my commitment to using music as a catalyst for global awareness and compassion.
Italian vocalist - Carolina Magini, Italy
Turkish vocalist - Mahir Kucuk, Turkey
Mandarin vocalist - Enya Lim, Singapore
Spanish vocalist - Alex Venegas, Dallas, USA
Tamil vocalist - Rohith Jayaraman, San Francisco, USA
Swiss vocalist - Laara Julia, Switzerland
Assamese vocalist - Geett Barua, Los Angeles, USA
Swahili vocalist - Njoki Karu, Kenya
Hindi vocalist - Srishti Biyani, Mumbai, India
Hindi vocalist - Swara Swami, Mumbai, India
Hindi vocalist - Agney Mulay,New Delhi, India
Hindi vocalist - Sanjana Raja, Chennai, India
Hindi vocalist - Amira Gill, New Delhi, India
Choir Director/Soprano - Caitlyn Thorton, Los Angeles, USA
Choir Soprano - Laara Julia, Switzerland
Choir Soprano - Madison Denbrock, Arizona, USA
Choir Alto - Rozie Baker, New York, USA
Choir Alto - Josie Long, Georgia, USA
Choir Alto - Michael Mastroianni, New York, USA
Choir Tenor -Alex Venegas, Dallas, USA
Choir Bass - Evan Lee, New Orleans, USA
Choir Arranger - Joey Epstein, Illinois, USA
Strings Arranger - Jorge Alonso Maldonado, Peru
Strings Arranger - Salil Bhayani, Los Angeles, USA
Piano - Abram AL, Indonesia
Electric Guitar - Aleif Hamdan, Indonesia
Percussion - Alber Baseel, Palestine
Bass - Achal Murthy, Luxemborg
Drums - Ivanna Cuesta Gonzalez, Dominican Republic
Co-wrote English Lyrics with - Omar Ahmed Khulazi, Bahrain
Hindi Lyrics - Deepshikha Batheja, Riverside, USA
Mix/Mast./Recording Engineer - Arian Mohammadi, Iran
Recording Engineer (Grammy winner) - Garry Purohit, Los Angeles, USA
Asst. Record Engineer - Anton Rasmussen, Nashville, USA
Asst. Record Engineer - Rongjie Qian, China