Flamenco guitarist creates mesh of Arabic-Spanish rhythms
By Leen Aljadid, Jordan News
last updated:
26/07/2021 - 04:52 PM
Jordanian flamenco guitarist Sawsan Abu Doush. (Photo: Handout from Sawsan Abu Doush)
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AMMAN
— The magic of flamenco music has captivated the heart of 22-year-old Sawsan
Abu Doush, motivating her to become one of few female flamenco guitarists in
Jordan.اضافة اعلان
Doush
shared her passion and appreciation for the genre with Jordan News in a
phone interview.
After
taking part in several local concerts, Doush performed at Instituto Cervantes’
stage, where she played a flamenco piece with a band of other well-known
musicians.
Jordanian flamenco guitarist Sawsan Abu Doush. (Photo: Handout from Sawsan Abu Doush)
“Although
the number of attendees was around 50, the audience showed great excitement and
love for our show. Hispanic culture and music were deeply rooted in them. It
definitely was one of the best concerts I performed at,” she said
The
guitarist also participated in many cultural events, including one at a
University of Jordan (UJ) auditorium during which she played flamenco as well
as other Spanish masterpieces in front of thousands of attendees.
Doush
has been playing guitar for nine years. Despite growing up in a non-musical
family, she was gifted with a musical ear, she told Jordan News.
“Everything
I play is self-taught, and it’s all by ear,” Doush highlighted. Similar to how
speakers acquire a language and pick up accents, Doush mimics musical pieces
she listens to, she said.
“Although
I have recently learned to read guitar notation or music sheets and received
some certificates, I still rely heavily on listening and analyzing the musical pieces,”
she said.
Four
years ago, Doush was simply roaming YouTube channels until she encountered a
video for Paco de Lucia, the musician dubbed as “the father of flamenco,” and
was fascinated by his music.
“I
was overwhelmed with energy, I didn’t understand why I just fell in love with
this music, it was something that I couldn’t describe or understand at first,”
said Doush.
As
the artist developed a great interest in the genre, she decided to major in
Spanish and English literature. After high school she competed with thousands
of students for the arts excellence scholarship program, and was selected for
UJ’s excellence scholarship.
“My
area of study did not directly help me in music, rather, it gave me a valuable
insight into Hispanic civilization and culture, which entails delving deeper into
the language, literature, and art in general,” she said.
Such
knowledge has further helped Doush better build networks, allowing her to
communicate with Spanish guitarists to get some guidance into flamenco and its
theories and techniques.
‘An
insight into Flamenco’ Doush
has also stressed how both Arabic and Spanish are related, especially when it
comes to flamenco.
“Flamenco
derives from Arabic origins, owing to the impact Muslims and Arabs had on Andalusia
and Hispanic culture,” Doush noted. “Flamenco is a blend of the Arabic words ‘Fallah,’
which means a peasant, and ‘Mankoob,’ which means impoverished or plagued.”
Although
flamenco's rhythm is unique and might not sound familiar to an Arab listener,
the harmony, melody, musical syllable (or maqams) are all related to Arabic
music, the musician said; yet, “it is still uncommon in Jordan.”
Therefore,
Doush wishes to spread the culture of flamenco in Jordan. One method she used
recently is combining both Arabic and Spanish music to create a mixed genre
that she called “Arabic flamenco.”
In
addition to concerts, Doush further helps introducing flamenco music and other
genres through teaching; she has been a teacher for some two years now, and she
came to recognize the impact she can make through education.
According
to Doush, “flamenco is really unique and hard. It requires learning tough
techniques, and a lot of effort time in practicing, so not anyone can bear flamenco
unless he or she is sincerely passionate about it.”
“I
don’t confine my pupils to a certain type, I am just there to help them
discover more about what they love. That’s why I always ask during the first
class about what they would usually listen to on a long drive,” she said.
Besides
hard work, Doush believes that appreciating the value of art is key.
Among
the challenges a flamenco guitarist faces, according to the musician, is finding
a good instrument. “Classical guitars differ from flamenco ones. It’s truly
difficult to find an authentic, high-quality Flamenco guitar in Jordan.”
“Quality
comes first,” Doush stressed.
She
added that her goal is to be remembered as a professional guitarist who plays
good music and “gives beautiful vibes to people.”