Program Note:

 

Benam (بینام, Nameless) is written for the Concert in Solidarity with Afghan Musicians and is dedicated to an anonymous Afghan musician whose improvisation on a dilruba served as the piece's inspiration.
At a time when music is banned in Afghanistan,when music cannot be heard by its deserved audience, Benam exists as a quiet act of presence. It honors the brave Afghan musicians whose voices are forced into anonymity, yet who continue to carry music within them.
The title Benam reflects both loss and dignity - a name that's taken away, and a voice that still endures. While working on this project, I was reminded of Kafka’s The Hunger Artist - what it means to be unseen, unheard, yet steadfast in one’s devotion. It also echoes the feeling depicted in Zweig's The World of Yesterday, where cultures were erased in a world full of instability, not because they lacked value but because they were silenced.
To all who believe in art, and in what artists carry with them - memory, resistance, and truth.
Music speaks more than words. And the world should not be silenced.

 

 

Duration: 6'

 

Recording: A recording of its Jordan Hall premiere is available upon request.

 

Score and Parts: Available for rental or purchase directly from the composer.

 

Performance History: World Premiere: Concert in Solidarity with Afghan Musicians, March 14, 2026