Firas Zreik

Composer & Kanun player Firas Zreik has performed and recorded across the world as a leader and highly sought collaborator. The Palestine-born New Yorker has transformed global perception of the Kanun. His treatment of the instrument preserves its identity and stretches its potential as a cultural chameleon enhancing a range of fresh, evolving sounds. His nuanced approach translates the Kanun’s resonant depth of emotion, with a mastery of microtonal soundscaping.

In live performance, Zreik conjures a complexity of emotion that shapeshifts throughout his sets. He enters fragile places and sits inside them. This commitment to stark exploration has sent him around the world, performing at storied venues, intimate clubs and international festivals. He has appeared at WOMEX international music expo, Smithsonian Museum, Savannah Music Festival, Tunisia’s Carthage International Festival and Hill Auditorium, as well as The Jazz Gallery, Lincoln Center and Historic Greenwood in New York City; Boston Symphony Hall and Berklee Performance Center in Boston; Institute du Monde Arabe and La Bellevilloise in Paris; Palais de Congres in Belgium; and Teatro Mediterraneo in Italy.

Following the release of his two singles Lullaby for Nature (Levantine Music) and Sentiments of Emptiness (Universal Music Group), in 2020, during the pandemic lockdown, Zreik issued his debut EP Solo (Levantine Music), featuring a shimmering, contemplative set of kanun music. Most recently, the young artist released his first full-length recording of original music, Salute, featuring his 8-piece band.

Photo by Felicia Abban.