In My Hand Is An Olive Branch.....

It is no exaggeration to say that Marcel Khalife is one of the last remaining pioneers of the classic Arabic musical tradition; a flag-bearer of a tradition that had spellbound and 'intoxicated' Arab audiences since the Andalusian era of musical and artistic innovation. His magical combination of various musical styles, his mastery of the oud (Arabic lute), and the emotional urgency of his voice and social relevance of his songs, come together to ignite a passionate cry for love, joy, peace, justice, and humanity. To be in the presence of Marcel Khalife, is to be in the presence of a legend.

On the 24^th April, this living legend, performed live at Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall; and for those lucky enough to have attended, it was an unforgettable experience.

Joined by the talents of his two young sons, Rami on the piano and Bachar on percussion, musical geniuses in their own right, and Peter Herbert on the double base, Khalife mesmerised the audience with his musical improvisation, what is known in Arabic as taqsim. As the musicians played their respective instruments, they sent the audience into a deep aural experience of trans-cultural wonder, and into a deep appreciation for what Khalife has done, and continues to do for the legacy of Arabic music.

As spellbinding as the taqsim was, the highlight of the concert, however, came in the second interval, as Khalife, in his famous way, broke down the barriers that separated him from his over-rapturous audience. With just one word; with just one signal of his hand, Marcel freed his bursting audience from the shackles of spectatorship and included them in the performance of his most moving song: Montasib al-Qamaiti Amchi. The chilling invocation for perseverance in the face of hardship taken from the Palestinian poet Samih al-Qasim: 'In my hand is an olive branch and on my shoulder is my coffin, And I walk', flooded the Concert Hall, and allowed the audience to fully embrace their beloved Marcel, and his pertinent message for justice and peace in the Palestine and the Arab World. As he strummed the tunes of his famous song, the feeling as one sat in the audience, the large spontaneous choir of Marcel Khalife fans, was electrifying.

It has been a long time coming for the Arab community in Australia to see Marcel Khalife performing live in the concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House. The venue for the performance made it all the more special and the audience was peppered with an interested crowd of non-Arabic speakers, who also being world music enthusiasts were amazed to see the response the audience gave to Khalife. It was evident to them also the effect that Marcel Khalife has in enlivening and injecting pride in the musical, cultural and linguistic heritage that the Arab world has to offer. To be able to encounter this tradition in Sydney was indeed magical and well worth the wait.

By Ifdal Elsaket and Rawan Abdul-Nabi