Q. Which one you like more, perform in a music concert or with dancers? Why?
Both. I enjoy equally playing concerts and dance performance. Each one has its own beauty and approach. In the classical concert, I have my focus on the composition and the musicians playing it, plus the singer if there was singing involved. The dynamic in a classical concert is focused on keeping a strong and steady beat with embellishments that are appropriate for the music.
For the dance performance; I focus on keeping the beat alive and follow along with the dancer to high light her movements. I use more strength and loud sounds (SUK) in the belly dance performance. Unlike the classical performance, the loudness would be very controlled especially using the loud SUK sound. Some times, we play the same piece of music for classical performance and for belly dance performance. In both cases, the approach is different. In the belly dance performance, I have to keep the dancer in mind when I am playing. I have to watch over her and follow her.
Q. Which is your favorite instrument? Why?
Qanoun (string instrument). I feel the rhythmic and melodic aspect in this instrument more then any other. If I did not play drums, I would've learned Qanoun instead. It is a very versatile instrument on all levels.
Q. Which music style is your favorite?
Classical compositions and rhythmic compositions.
Q. Have you ever want to give up in this musician journey? What made you keep going then?
15 years ago or so, I was in a stage of development. Some times it comes natural to get frustrated and start to think of stopping or quitting. But when the inspiration came and I became more exposed to different genres of music, also the New York events, I became more determined to continue and develop my self and here I am now still developing and learning new things every year. I guess it is part of the learning process to learn how not to get frustrated even if things seemed stagnant and you are not making any progress. And if you believe in what you are doing, things will keep moving and progress happens.
Now I don't want to give up. This music is inspiring and it makes people feel better. It became for me like a mission to educate people and make them feel better about a lot of things in life. This music is our representative to show our culture and our life as Arabic people and it helps us to erase some of the negative stereotypes about Arabic people and culture. Also I feel the power of this music and its impact on me personally to make my life better and keep me going in life.
Q. What is your source of inspiration? Which person/ event/ thing inspired you the most?
Older generation of drummers are my inspiration, the complexity of the music and the depth of it also inspires me to keep learning it. Also the close connection between Arabic style of music/ drumming and other Middle Eastern styles of music/ drumming.
Q. As we known, being a musician needs to travel a lot. How do you balance between family and work?
It can be a little hard. I am blessed with an understanding spouse who really appreciates music all together, and she is very supportive of my music career.
Q. What's your next plan in your life?
I would like to be more established as a drum teacher and have a school to teach through it. I would like to perform all over the world with a feeling that I am doing my duty toward the music and people.
About Faisal Zedan
Born 1972 in Oum D’Baib, Syria, Faisal Zedan grew up impassioned with the derbakki. At the age of 15, after intensive study with a local drummer, Faisal embarked on a journey of learning through exposure to a wide repertoire of Arabic classical and contemporary music. Years of tireless practice, along with God’s grace, has resulted in the mastery of the derbakki, as well as the riqq and tar (frame drum).
Upon arrival in California in 1992, he met UCLA’s noted professor of ethnomusicology, Dr. Ali Jihad Racy, and was then invited to join the acclaimed UCLA Near East Music Ensemble.
In 1993, Faisal was a founding member of the Near East music group, Kan Zaman. Specializing in the classical singing genre of Muwashahat and Adwar, Kan Zaman performed at Arabic cultural centers, city-sponsored events, and private shows along the West Coast of the United States.
Along with Donovan Lerman, Faisal is also a founding member of the Los Angeles-based Yourn It Talaata percussion group, performing at festivals, cultural events and with lacal Middle Eastern dancers in Southern California.
In 1996, Faisal taught at the Northern California Middle East Music Camp held in Mendocino. Since then, he has performed and studied annually with International artists and musicians at that event. Faisal also conducts workshops at the Kosmos Camp annually.
2009 saw the birth of Ajyal. Under the direction of Faisal Zedan, Ajyal features prominent loval musicians, Nazir Latouf, Husain Resan, Susu Pampanin and Laurie Eisler. The group preserves and performs diverse genres of traditional music and dance from the Arab world.
Currently, Faisal is also a member of Eliyahu & Qadim, Stellamara, Kan Zaman and Zikrayat.
Extended Reading:
About Qanoun (Qanun / Kanun) instrument:
