Success stories of Palestinian achievers from all over the world

Amir Persekian

Personal Info

  • Country of residence: Palestine
  • Gender: Male
  • Age: 0
  • Curriculum vitae :

Information

Amir Persekian never liked “playing by the book,” so after learning the piano as a child, he took up Jazz, which he says gave him the freedom to improvise, as jazz is much more “free and fun to play.”

Hailing from a family of musicians, Amir notes that there was always lots of music around and competition in the air. He cites his father, Jack Persekian, as his biggest supporter and source of inspiration. 

Amir also plays the guitar and drums, which have expanded his knowledge of music and allowed him to discover different styles and rhythms that would not work very well on the piano.

He used to play and perform mostly solo until 2010 when he started collaborating with Bashar Murad performing two original songs and two covers in Bethlehem. He would later move on to experiment with incorporating rap music and lyrics into jazz beats on the piano. According to Amir, “both genres give the space for free-styling.” His latest and biggest performance was in Jerusalem in a trio with a drums and harmonica player and Maya Khaldi, a Palestinian singer. They played bossa nova style as well as lounge and cool. “This project was the most demanding one of all,” claims Amir, “but it was also my favourite.” 

An improviser in every sense, Amir does not even own a notebook. “I keep all the music in my head,” he admits, as composing comes naturally to him. He improvises and experiments on the piano until he ends up with a set of chords that he likes, a basic melody that is attractive, and a rhythm. But everything depends on his mood, and he can never play a song the exact same way twice. 

Amir is currently in the United States studying electrical engineering and specialising in electronics. His dream is to travel around the world and work on tours and festivals, and hopefully bring music festivals and big concerts to Palestine. Unsure if he will take up music as a career, he says: “I will always play piano and keep my passion alive.”

Achievements and Awards

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