The benefits of music are truly healing and therapeutic —
well beyond pleasure and entertainment. Tangible proof of this was found at an exceptional
event that took place Tuesday night in Amman at the
Halim Salfiti Auditorium, aptly
titled “Power of Music”.
اضافة اعلان
Pianist, scholar, and former secretary-general of the French
Cultural Center of Alexandria, 81-year-old Nicole Tricaud-Mohammedi, delighted
the full house with evergreen songs and improvisations, mainly from the
traditional French repertoire, played on the piano.
The musician, recipient of prestigious French decorations in
acknowledgment of her life-time achievements, was accompanied by a well-known
duo: Maysaa Abu Lughod on oud and Lana Mushtaq on guitar and vocals. These two
artists have been working together for several years now as music therapists,
helping mainly the elderly, but also all those whose lives are challenged by “psycho-affective,
sensory, physical, or neurological disorders”, including the young.
Throughout the one-hour special performance, they not only
accompanied the French pianist, but also wholeheartedly supported her,
encouraged her, smartly followed her improvisational changes, and created a
unique human and artistic bond that everyone in the audience could see, hear,
and experience as genuinely moving.
The musicians enchanted the crowd with French songs like Les
Feuilles Mortes (
Autumn Leaves), Histoire d’un Amour, and renditions of Summertime,
Ode to Joy, and Bella Ciao. Mushtaq’s stage presence and natural sense of communication
managed to win enthusiastic, warm participation from the audience in singing
the chorus to Bella Ciao.
There was even a sweet rendition of the Arabic song made
famous by Fairuz, Aateeni el Naya Wa Ghanni, where the three musicians took
turns, excelling in their improvisation and singing.
It was a brief but moving moment when Nicole
Tricaud-Mohammedi spoke directly to the audience between two songs, expressing
her happiness about being present and playing for them.
After the performance Jordan News spoke with the
artist, asking whether she planned to play again live on stage in the near
future. “Oh yes, I would love to do that again!” she replied with a wide smile.
In their own words: Abu Lughod’s “…
long-term goal is to explore opportunities globally, spreading the concept of music
therapy as an allied health profession” and Mushtaq’s “…hopes are to take music
therapy sessions from local levels to national and international ones.”
The musical evening was organized by the Friends of Jordan
Festivals.
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