At a time when the Syrian people are finding their feet again three months after the fall of the Assad regime, music has emerged as a source of celebration and healing during a time of transition and instability.
In particular, the soothing voices of twenty girls have united hearts at home and garnered admirability online. They are known as Gardenia Choir, established in 2016 by professional Syrian musicians Safana Baqleh and Ghada Harb.
Comprised of soprano, alto, and mezzo voices, Gardenia Choir is considered the first female polyphonic choir in Syria.
It is the diversity of the choir, where its young and academically-trained members come from different religions and provinces in the country, that partially makes the group a powerful act.
“Truthfully, I consider Gardenia Choir the most successful group project that I worked on in my life," Safana, who is the choir's conductor, told The New Arab.
She added, "Despite all the propaganda women endure for group activities, women are capable of finding a way of working together.
"They are very committed, hardworking and they think of the greater good much more than personal gain, which is truly needed for any musical group.
"No voice should be higher than the other. Everyone has to sing in unity."
The group is named after the white gardenia flower, evoking femininity, which is beloved amongst Syrians.
Since its foundation, the choir has staged domestic concerts and recorded albums that documented Syrian bridal folk songs and female-written Sufist melodies.
But their big moment came in late December 2024, a few weeks after Assad fled the country. Through their angelic voices, they gave an emotional repertoire of national songs at the heritage house of Beit Farhi in Damascus, which went viral on social media.
In a way, their repertoire not only reflects Syrian culture, but the region at large. For instance, one of their songs is a traditional, early 20th century Palestinian chant, known as tarweeda, consisting of indecipherable, secret coded messages used in order for the British occupiers not to understand their communication.
"It’s about liberty and human rights," explained Safana. "Liberating people is a common cause we share with the Palestinian people, who are the closest to us and are still fighting for their freedom.”
But, one particular song that captivated the audience was a simple yet poignant song of martyrdom – 'Ya Yumma' (O' Mother) – written by the late Syrian goalkeeper and member of the Syrian opposition, Abdul Baset Al-Sarout.
"O' Mother," the women chanted solemnly. "I am wearing a new thobe. Celebrate my martydom, O' Mother. Celebrate and be happy for me, and forgive me if I leave you, O' Mother. Wipe your tears and your sadness. Make me happy by seeing you smile, O' Mother."
This song was one of the several ones written during the Syrian Revolution, erupting as a result of the civil uprising in 2011. "The songs are non-violent, challenging the system,“ added Safana. "You could have lost your life because you wrote or sang them.”
“These past fourteen years have seen numerous tragedies," said Safana.
"People reached a state of despair and depression. All of these sacrifices led to nothing. It’s really ugly that an entire nation faced despair, pushing people to immigrate and to feel depressed in a plural sense. There was no future.
"But after December 8 [2024], there was a possibility of a future. It’s as if people were in the dark and suddenly the light went on.
"People are still trying to find their voice, which might sound off or not studied. But now, we can push forward to discover our voices. We still don’t know our voices. We are in a state of discovery and people are speaking up,” Safana added.
For Safana and the choir, preparing this song was one of the hardest for them to go through, both behind the scenes and live in front of an audience.
"During rehearsals, one of the girls started crying,” she recalled. “Everyone was crying. It was a small and intimate gathering and they were all greatly affected. It was an honest and human situation. It goes to show you that if group singing is done right, it can really connect people.”
Music, whether joyous or melancholic, has indeed emerged as a unifying force for the Syrians, who gathered en masse across the country singing songs that carried the lyrics of 'Paradise, Paradise, Paradise... O’ Homeland, O’ Beloved' and 'Hold your head up high, you are a free Syrian'.
“Music deeply influences our way of thinking and our emotions. Wherever we go, whether we’re in a taxi or we switch on the radio or we scroll through our phones, music is present in our lives,” said Safana.
"Like any art form, music plays a big role. We are in a state of healing and therapy. People are tired and need to express themselves in a different way. Maybe they can’t express themselves through words, but they can through music in my opinion,” she added.
Gardenia Choir has had a few performances in Damascus and Aleppo, but for Safana, she hopes to go around the country with the group, spreading messages of hope and unity.
“We hope there will be a hundred chorales to spread this culture of group singing in society,” she said.
"It gives people energy.”
Rawaa Talass is a freelance journalist focusing on art and culture emerging from the Middle East. Her work has been published in Art Dubai, Arab News, Al Arabiya English, Artsy, The Art Newspaper, Kayhan Life, Dubai Collection, and The National
Follow her on Instagram: @byrawaatalass
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