Perhaps it was inevitable that Syrian composer and pianist Malek Jandali would one day find himself in Ugarit, Syria, creating new music for the world out of the world’s oldest.

Ugarit is a Bronze Age city the ruins of which lie in a large artificial mound called Ras Shamra, six miles north of Latakia on the Mediterranean coast of Syria. Ugarit flourished from about 1450 to 1200 BC with a population of 10,000, and then it was completely deserted. It produced great royal palaces, temples, and a number of libraries on the acropolis. Ugarit was an independent kingdom and its military and economic history as well as arts and music have been revealed by tablets found in the palace archives. With their strong ships built of the cedars, the people of Ugarit became the greatest naval power of the age and knew many key principles of navigation. Excavations of this ancient Syrian city have also revealed the world’s first linear alphabet and the oldest music notation in the world.

Jandali, on the other hand, is one of today’s most versatile and imaginative Syrian musicians. His curiosity and wide-ranging musical interests have taken him in many different directions, forging a unique career and establishing a rare reputation. Born in Germany in 1972, he started his piano studies at the Jugendmusikschule, then at the Arab Conservatory of Music and the High Institute of Music in Damascus with Vladimir Zaritski and Victor Bunin from the Moscow Conservatory. As a young child, Malek enjoyed all forms of art and at the age of nine he appeared in his first public piano recital in his home town of Homs. Having studied classical piano from an early age, and despite his enthusiasm for the compositions of Bach, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff, he soon began displaying a gift for improvisation.

A sample piece by Malek Jandali:

He won first prize at the National Young Artists’ competition of Syria in 1988, launching his career in music.

In 1995 he received a full scholarship to the United States to pursue advanced studies in music at the North Carolina School of the Arts with Eric Larsen. Active as a performer for many years, he decided to shift his attention to composition after graduating with a BA in music from Queens University. During his studies there under Paul Nitsch, he received numerous prizes including the Stegner Foundation for the Arts Fellowship and the 1997 Outstanding Musical Performer Award. He studied composition and orchestration with Eddie Horst, Harry Bulow, Lawrence Dillon and Richard Prior. In 2004, he completed his Master’s Degree from the University of North Carolina.

In the recording studio he has created an eclectic body of compositions. Malek has a deep interest in writing music for dramatic purposes and has often drawn upon visual images for musical inspiration. His compositions range from solo instrumental pieces to large ensemble and orchestral works. His music is dynamic, energetic and powerful, combining orchestra with piano and Arabic modes and melodies.

He also experiments not only with live, acoustical instruments, but also the implementation of MIDI and electronic sounds. A prolific composer, Malek has written and produced music for corporate multimedia, video presentation and commercials. Recent projects include scoring music for an independent film, television programs and documentaries.

His diverse career remains truly international, as he continues to captivate audiences in concerts throughout North America, Europe and the Middle East. He has appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra of Syria, played with the West End Orchestra in the U.S., and accepted the honor of performing before the presidents of Syria and Hungary. Future plans include tours of the U.S. and Canada, the opening season of the Ludwig Orchestra in Atlanta, as well as solo performances in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Future recording plans and productions include solo piano music and works for violin, cello and piano as well as several orchestral works for films and theater with members of the illustrious Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Malek is a member of the Recording Academy and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). He has his own business brokerage firm and lives in Atlanta. In the precious little time he has away from his office, the concert platform and his recording studio, he travels with his wife Yasmine and enjoys learning about other cultures.

Ugarit inspired Malek’s most recent music album “Echoes from Ugarit.” It showcases a variety of playing and composing styles, effectively mixing his classical training with jazz and Arabic maqams or modes. Pieces range from gentle and soothing to powerful and discordant, once again showcasing his wide-ranging musical sensibilities. There are many exciting moments as he effectively juxtaposes styles, creating a strong and distinctive musical voice.

 The album  consists of 11 original musical works composed and performed by him and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. His music is classified as neither classical nor Arabic, but a harmonious combination of both presenting his audience with a fresh experience. He worked on it for almost three years and titled his compositions with Arabic names. “Returning to my Arab roots was the main idea, by developing the rhythm and melodies of Arabic music I could represent my country.” Malek added “The West highly appreciates Arabic music for its maqamat and modes, and it is regarded as a great form of art.”

The ruins of Ugarit were first uncovered by the plow of a peasant. Excavations were begun in 1929 by a French archaeological mission under the direction of Claude F.A. Schaeffer. The excavations have revealed the world’s first linear alphabet and many musical fragments of cult songs found on cuneiform tablets. Among them were three fragments of a single tablet in different states of preservation. Miraculously, these pieces fit together. As a result, there is now an almost complete text known as the “Song Tablet.” The text consists of Akkadian terms written in a Hurrianized manner and enscribed in Ugaritic Cuneiform script and is the oldest known preserved music notation in the world.

The tablets prove that both the 7-note diatonic scale as well as harmony existed 3400 years ago, which  flies in the face of most musicologists’ views that ancient harmony was virtually non-existent (or even impossible) and the scale only about as old as the Ancient Greeks, 2000 years ago.   “I decided to name my album “Echoes from Ugarit” to tell the world that Ugarit, Syria is the birthplace of music and harmony,” Malek stated.

Arabic music is modal and monophonic, principally based on melody and rhythm, not on harmony, counterpoint, chords, modulation and the other basics of Western classical music. The very heart of Arabic music is the taqasim: the melodic form upon which the musician improvises. This framework is established by tradition and inspired by the creative spirits of master musicians.

“Echoes from Ugarit” opens with “Syrian Suite” in E Minor, the mechanical piece of the album. It may remind one of a Bach Toccata, with its red-blooded chromaticism, and its quirky baroque turns and ornaments. The composition opens with a tranquil running accompaniment in the left hand, indicating the inner voice of the heart beat of time. There are feelings of rushing, nonstop activity, and agitation. Imagine a Venetian merchant in the 16th century visiting the ancient Syrian bazaars experiencing in awe its vivid colors, rich spices and exotic sounds. There is a mischievous feeling, but also one of grace.

The title song is much darker and more reflective, taking us back to 3400 BC. It has some fascinating chord changes.  This is the first arrangement of the oldest music notation of the world!

“Yafa” is another musical piece on the album and it is dedicated to the Iraqi and Palestinian people who face tragedy and war every day. “It serves as a reminder to those who have forgotten that Yafa  exists, the music conveys war and peace, complex thoughts and emotions like anger, frustration, hope of a return home and a safe future transformed into music.

Eid “festivity” is another piece by Jandali that expresses happiness and joy.

Jandali is currently recording a new album with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Its release will be accompanied by major U.S. and world tours. More information can be had at Jandali’s website www.malekjandali.com.