About this Event
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mosab Abu Toha, trombonist-composer Steve Button, trombonist-conductor Heather Buchman and soprano Laura Enslin are part of the diverse lineup at “Music for Palestine,” taking place Saturday, May 16, at 2 p.m. at May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society (MMUUS) in Syracuse.
The concert raises awareness of and support for millions of displaced Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, due to the ongoing impact of genocide and occupation in Palestine.
All proceeds from the concert benefit Gaza Soup Kitchen, the Middle East Children’s Alliance and Playgrounds for Palestine.
The suggested tax-deductible donation is $15, although any amount is welcomed. People giving $55 or more will receive a comfortable, durable hoodie emblazoned with the words "If I Must Die," the title of the piece that Button has composed for the concert.
Organizers purchased the hoodies from Wear The Peace, which has divided proceeds from the sale between surviving family members of Refaat Alareer, whose poem inspired Button’s composition, and We Are Not Numbers, a charity that was important to the slain activist. All proceeds will go to our three chosen organizations.
Moreover, organizers are raffling off a high-quality quilt made by Mara Sapon-Shevin and inspired by Alareer's poem.
A beloved Palestinian writer, poet and professor, Alareer was assassinated during an Israeli airstrike on December 6, 2023—two months, almost to the day, after the launch of the war on Gaza.
For more information about the concert, contact Button at 315.949.9450.
For information about parking and accessibility, contact MMUUS at 315.446.8920. MMUUS is located at 3800 East Genesee St., Syracuse.
An Anticipated World Premiere
“Music for Palestine” features the world premiere of Button’s "If I Must Die," performed by Enslin, trombone octet and mixed chorus, all under the direction of Steven Frank.
The work draws on Alareer’s 2011 poem, which has gone viral since the start of the Gaza war and has been translated into more than a hundred languages. “It’s a shining example of 21st-century resistance literature,” Button says.
"If I Must Die" also has endeared itself to musicians. Button’s adaptation draws on a popular version by Jordanian singer-songwriter Farah Siraj. “Farah’s sonorous voice captured the depth and poignant essence of Alareer’s words,” says Button, who saw her perform the piece in Philadelphia in 2024. “I was immediately inspired to adapt her setting.”
Siraj recalls the melody initially pouring out of her. “It came to me as I read the poem aloud for the first time. When I reached the ending, I had a song,” says Jordan’s official Musical Ambassadress, who also is an artist-in-residence for Carnegie Hall’s Musical Explorers program.
VIDEO: A Personal Invitation from Farah Siraj
The Syracuse Community Choir (SCC) is reprising "If I Must Die" on Sunday, June 7, at 4 p.m. at Tucker Missionary Baptist Church (515 Oakwood Ave., Syracuse). The performance is part of an SCC program titled “Hope-Courage-Resistance.”
A Who’s Who of Talent
“Music for Palestine” is a mix of established stars and rising talent. The most famous is Abu Toha, who plans to read some of his poetry. A 2023 graduate of Syracuse University’s acclaimed M.F.A. program in creative writing, he’s held visiting appointments at Syracuse and Harvard universities.
Abu Toha was Alareer’s friend and classmate at the Islamic University of Gaza.
“Refaat and I used to visit a strawberry farm that my father-in-law owned,” says Abu Toha, founder of the only English-language public library in Gaza. (The library has since been destroyed.) “We loved discussing Shakespeare and doting on our children.”
Rounding out “Music for Palestine” are singer-songwriters Zoë Mullan-Stout and Danan Tsan; singer Malichi Simmons; cellists Lucas Button and Lydia Parkington; and a trombone octet featuring, among others, Buchman, a nationally renowned conductor and performer who chairs Hamilton College’s music department.
A Powerful Form of Resistance
Despite a so-called ceasefire, Palestinians remain in the grip of genocide.
“Bringing hope doesn’t come about by just talking. It also involves educating oneself and holding accountable those who commit and defend war crimes,” says Abu Toha, a Syracuse resident whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic and The New York Review of Books.
According to Gaza Health Ministry records and independent research, approximately 75,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli militants since October 7, 2023. "Other studies suggest a much higher death toll,” Button says.
More than 80% of the victims have been civilians, including children, women, humanitarian aid workers and journalists.
The U.S.-Israeli War with Iran poses additional threats to some 2 million displaced Palestinians in Gaza. “Food and water shortages, along with aid restrictions, are worsening an already impossible situation. Palestinians fear they’re being forgotten,” Button continues.
Adds Siraj: “Even though I’m not a Palestinian, I stand as an ally. Palestinian dignity, courage and voice are powerful forms of resistance. Refaat's poem will live on and be remembered throughout history.”
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society, 3800 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, United States
USD 0.00
