Abstract

Abstract

In this talk, I will explore how music holds a unique power to connect us to an essence of “home”—not just as a place, but as a feeling, a memory, or even a piece of ourselves we may have lost along the way. I’ll share my personal creative process, illustrating how I found music to be a profound tool for healing, for self-expression, and as a bridge to the deeper layers of my identity.

Through my experiences as a musician and Arabic music mentor, I’ve seen how melodies can unlock emotions that words cannot, serving as a lifeline to the stories and places we carry within us. Whether it’s through the rich heritage of maqam or the delicate strings of the qanun, music has been my way of tracing the lines back to home—both literally and spiritually.

This talk isn’t just about my story; it’s an invitation to reflect on how we all seek and find our own sense of belonging through art, culture, and creativity. In a world that’s often in flux, music provides an anchor—a way to reclaim a sense of home, no matter where we find ourselves.

To further illustrate these ideas, I will be performing live on my qanun, sharing pieces that embody this deep connection to home and the essence of self.

Biography

Hailed as ‘queen of the qanun’, Maya Youssef is a globally renowned, and award-winning qanun player and composer from Syria. Born in Damascus, as a result of the war in her home country Maya arrived in the UK in 2012, under the UK Government’s Tier 1 visa scheme, endorsed by Arts Council England as an Exceptional Talent. Since then, Maya has pushed the boundaries of the qanun (a 78 stringed plucked zither traditionally played by men) and has performed at the South Bank, BBC Proms, Royal Albert Hall, The Barbican, Shakespeare’s Globe and WOMAD Festival.

Maya has collaborated with Damon Albarn (Blur/Gorillaz) and recorded for ‘The Beatles & India’ documentary in Abbey Road Studios. Her debut album, Syrian Dreams (a prayer for peace), was produced by the esteemed Joe Boyd (Nick Drake et al) and released by Harmonia Mundi. The album received critical acclaim from the media. “Exquisite…a powerful homage, twists Arabic music cliches’’, The Guardian. “An album of skill and power…a dizzying sweep of genres from flamenco to jazz. A transportive cinematic listen” The Musician Magazine. Syrian Dreams won the German Record Critics’ Award and Songlines Music Award. This led to many UK and international sold-out concerts.

Maya was awarded a PRS Women Make Music Grant and an Arts Council England Project Grant towards recording her second album, Finding Home, which was released March 25th, 2022. The album received 5-star reviews from international and UK press and was nominated for the prestigious German Record Critics’ Award. In September 2022 Finding Home was no.1 in the Transglobal World Music Chart; In December it was named as one of Songlines’ 10 Best Albums of 2022.

Alongside the composition and performance aspects of her career, Maya is also a consummate and skilled educator, leading her own online qanun academy with students all over the world, contributing to a wide variety of learning and participation opportunities through talks, lectures workshops and broadcasts.

Maya’s compositions, recordings, performances, and her life story have been the subject of extensive reviews, and she is a frequent broadcaster.