Firas Zreik is a Palestine-born, NY-based composer and player of Kanun, a traditional Arabic string instrument. He has performed and recorded in varied styles including Arabic Maqam and jazz and collaborated with many international artists such as Residente, Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, Shreya Ghoshal, and others. His debut EP "Solo" came out in 2021 and his most recent release is a 2023 full-length album called "Salute.”

Take a journey with us today to the land of Kanun, the Arabic tradition of Maqam, and world music.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Understanding the Kanun and its history
• Maqam: the language of Arabic music
• How colonization and racism show up in the music world
• Growing up Palestinian and second-class citizen in Haifa and Galilee
• What it was like collaborating with Grammy-winning artist Residente
• The role of artists and activism in the Palestinian cause
• Firas tackles the question of diaspora

Featured on the show:

• Opening credit: Prelude to Salute by Firas Zreik
• See Firas play Kanun in my three other favorite compositions:
• Fields of Figs
• Shams
• Lullaby for Nature
• Listen to the song dedicated to the children of Gaza, in collab with Residente
• Learn more about Firas on his website
• Follow Firas on Instagram

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Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more.

Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.