On Saturday, February 13th, 2016, Bahraini Red Bull Music Academy (RBMA) alumni Hasan Hujairi and Esam “Cosmo” Hammad announced a very unique musical project. Red Bull Music Academy Presents: Symphonies of the self is a musical production that aims to preserve the works of the late composer, Majeed Marhoon through a concert & documentary premiere that will take place on April 8th & 9th, 2016 in collaboration with the Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities and as part of the Spring of Culture 2016
One could say that Majeed Marhoon (1945-2010) was a caged bird, who taught himself how to fly while in captivity, and this relentless fluttering of wings sounded songs that traveled the world. He was a musician, a free spirit, and a compassionate, which composed his personal struggles, pains, love, and loss into music. What he left behind was a wealth of musical creations, inspired by a variety of genres and schools, inclusive of Classical, African, Latin, and more. Marhoon received international recognition and empathy even early in his career from the likes of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and the German Radio Symphony Orchestra who played his compositions. Yet much of his narrative remains unknown to the general public, especially in his own home of Bahrain.
Red Bull Music Academy Presents: “Symphonies of the Self” is a collaborative projected initiated by Bahraini artist and composer, Hasan Hujairi, combining an eclectic concert series with a documentary film about the late Majeed Marhoon.
The concert will be launched at the Cultural Hall with performances of Marhoon’s compositions played by the Bahrain Orchestra, along with electronic reinterpretations of Marhoon’s works, performed by Henrik Schwarz, Bugge Wesseltoft, Hasan Hujairi, and Esam “Cosmo” Hammad. Marhoon’s family and friends are supportive of the project, and retell his story through the documentary and project, and they include founder of Ajraas Band Mr. Salman Zaiman who was present in various stops in Marhoon’s life & Mr. Khalifa Zaiman, Conductor of the Bahrain Orchestra and a personal friend of Majeed. The documentary, Symphonies of the Self, will premiere at the concert to narrate to audiences the process of the musical collaborations, as inspired by the nostalgia of Marhoon’s life and journey as a musician. The documentary is directed by award winning Bahraini director Saleh Nass
The project will kick-off with the Red Bull Music Academy Club Night on April 7th, 2016, followed by the Red Bull Music Academy concert“Symphonies of the Self” on April 8th, 2016 and April 9th, 2016.