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Spanish Guitar Resonates in the Country of Wine and Wheat   

On a warm Damascene winter evening, the energetic rhythm of Spanish Guitar was contagious. With their arms moving consistently along the guitars' necks, the three guitarists were moving their heads, left and right, in tune with the music.

The percussionist and flutist added even more complexity to the mosaic of sounds…
How could a combination of human nail and flesh, metal strings and wood give off such enthusiasm and vigor? The group of musicians led by the talented Syrian guitarist Khaled Khaled took us in a journey of dreams and emotions ranging from love to hysteria, from joy to sadness, from fear to anger, with a continuous sense of imagination and dialogue.

Interview with the Spanish guitar player, the Syrian artist Khaled Khaled by Rola Saab.

Q. Are you single or married?
A. I am married and the father of a boy of six.

Q. When did you start playing the guitar?
A. When I was 6 years old I used to play the accordion, the Arabic lute and several other instruments. Later on I started playing the guitar at the age of 24. I am a self-taught guitarist.

Q. Is there a musical tradition in your family?
A. Yes, all my family are interested in music. My father used to play the Arabic lute and my brothers play other instruments, but, so far, I am the only one in the family that took up music as a profession and actually taught it.

Q. How has music influenced your wife and child?
A. My wife loves music and enjoys listening to it, and, as I practice music at home for almost 4 hours every day, this raises my son’s musical awareness, but I have not started to teach him music yet.

Q. Why did you choose the guitar, rather than any other musical instrument?
A. Well I love music in general and I have played various other instruments but it was playing the guitar that I really found myself.

Q. What is the average number of hours you spend playing the guitar every day?
A. At the beginning I used to practise more than 12 hours every day, but now, and particularly since I got married, I spend about 4 hours playing music daily.

Q. Is playing the guitar your profession or do you have a job in another field?
A. I studied electrical engineering but did not complete my studies because I had a passion for playing the guitar. Apart from playing the guitar, I also teach the guitar in my own academy.

Q. Have you played in countries other than Syria?
A. No, not as yet, because I still play other musicians’ music. In my opinion I should have my own compositions before starting to play the guitar outside Syria.

Q. What in your opinion are the obstacles that Syrian musicians face on their way to globalization?
A. In my opinion the biggest obstacle in Syria is copyright law. If a musician wishes to go international, he needs to have his own compositions, and, as the law is ineffective Syria, it is difficult to do so. One example of such a situation: I have composed a piece that I recorded myself, but I did not publish it due to the risk of having it plagiarised. Secondly, the professional environment - I mean the possibility of dedicating yourself fulltime to playing and composing without having to spend time earning a living, as the income generated from music is not enough to live on. The high cost of advertising and promotion tax in Syria constitute a major problem for musicians: for example, the advertising tax for a musical concert in Syria is 150 SYP for each leaflet distributed or displayed on streets, which is a very high rate when compared to the income the musician derives from the concert.

Q. Do you believe that music can be a bridge linking cultures and promoting understanding amongst citizens of different nations?
A. Definitely. Music is the language that unites the world in spite of language differences. It is the only language that does not require any translation. For example, when I listen to the international musician, Dolcio, all I say is ‘Oh my Lord”!

Q. What has music added to Khaled Khaled’s personality?
A. Music is not an intruder in my life. It is a fundamental part of me and is the basis of my personality. Due to the particular difficulty of the playing the guitar, the guitarist discovers his personality and gets to know his own strengths and weaknesses. I have also realized that through teaching the guitar that some of my students discover their personality and temper whereas others discover that they lose concentration fast and others again are hot-tempered people.

Q. What is the difference, in your opinion, between a musician and another human being?
A. A musician is a human with high sensitivity who is influenced by events taking place around him. Those who listen to music and enjoy it are also sensitive, but I believe that people who do not like music and do not listen to it at all lack sensitivity and passion.