Austin musicians play Palestinian songs to raise money for aid in Gaza

From KUT News:

A voice rang out from the stage of an Austin jazz club.

“Free, free Palestine.”

A sea of voices in the audience answered: “Free, free Palestine.”

The words passed from the performer to the crowd, filling the room with an invitation: not just to sing, but to join a Palestinian tradition of resistance through music.

The song, “Palestine in My Heart,” was performed by Viva Palestina Orchestra, a group of volunteer musicians who are on a mission to share Palestinian culture and fundraise for aid through song.

The orchestra was founded two years ago to perform at a cultural festival supporting Palestinian relief organizations.

“A lot of musicians here in Austin that I was working with, after Oct. 7, they would approach me as like, hey, we need to do something. We feel like as musicians, we need to have a voice,” said Sari Andoni, oud player and the group’s musical director.

Viva Palestina Orchestra has 28 members who play a variety of instruments, including the darbuqa drum, duduk, violin, saxophone, trumpet and bassoon.
Isak Kotecki / KUT News

Andoni, who is Palestinian, has played Arabic music in Austin for two decades. He, band manager Kamilia Hrija and others in the world music community came together at Austin’s Museum of Human Achievement for the event, which Hrija described as magical.

“People were crying and laughing and dancing in a way that I, as somebody who grew up in Austin, honestly have not experienced in Austin,” Hrija said. “That’s when we realized, not only is this healing for us, but for the community.”

Since then, the group has performed in venues across the city and beyond, from Austin City Hall to a festival in Houston. Fundraising has remained a priority for the band, which also operates as a nonprofit. Last year, in collaboration with other community organizations, Viva Palestina helped raise $115,000 for Palestinian families and aid groups like the Gaza Soup Kitchen, Hrija said.

Viva Palestina performs a mix of Palestinian songs and music from the Levant region, featuring instruments like the oud, darbuqa drum, duduk, violin, saxophone, trumpet and bassoon. Most of the lyrics are in Arabic, and many come from Palestinian poetry, expressing themes of grief, endurance and liberation.

One is “Muntasib al Qamati,” a poem turned into song by Lebanese musician Marcel Khalife.

At the group’s recent show at Monks Jazz Club, Viva Palestina singer Julie Slim translated the lyrics: “I walk with my head held high. In my hand, I hold an olive branch. And on my shoulders, I carry a coffin. And I go on, and I go on, and I go on.”

“Palestine in My Heart” is a more recent addition to the setlist. Andoni first heard the melody in a video of pro-Palestinian protesters, who were chanting a song by Swedish-Lebanese singer Maher Zain. The orchestra rearranged the song and added an original intro melody.

Viva Palestina’s version mirrors the call-and-response that often happens during protests by inviting the audience to sing.

Orchestra members hope their performances will inspire compassion for Palestinian people and culture.

“It’s easy for [people] to separate themselves from something they see on the news that’s far away,” violinist Judith Swanson said. “But when they have a more personal connection to like, oh, I heard this beautiful song, it just makes it a lot more personal and memorable.”

She also said she feels a responsibility in a “time of a genocide to uplift the culture of the people who are facing these horrible conditions.”

More than 67,000 people have died over two years of war, according to Gaza’s health ministry. A growing number of scholars have called the Israeli military campaign a genocide, which Israel rejects.

“This is really special music and a really deep and rich culture,” violinist Judith Swanson said. “We want to uplift that and spread it and share it with people.”
Isak Kotecki / KUT News

“I’m Jewish, and because of that, the topic of Palestine has always been pretty unavoidable in my life,” Swanson said. “I feel a special kind of responsibility to speak up about what’s happening there and in defense of the Palestinian people.”

For saxophonist Joshua Thomson, the music is “a way of connecting and showing pieces of this culture, and also what it means to other cultures.”

“In our orchestra, I think we’re represented by something close to 13 different countries,” he said. “So the Palestinian cause is the cause of all people and the struggle of all people.”

Viva Palestina member Haitham Gabr greets Abdullah Alqaroot ahead of the group’s rehearsal earlier this month.
Isak Kotecki / KUT News

Andoni sees the music as a way for listeners to process the trauma that comes from witnessing what’s happening in Gaza — and channel their feelings toward positive action, like connecting with people in the community or donating money.

“When we organize an event, we tell people, OK, you can come with your emotions,” he said. “It’s OK to feel sadness. We will sing sad songs for you. We will sing angry songs for you, and we will sing also joyful songs for you to give you hope.”

After two years of war in Gaza, joy has become a crucial part of Viva Palestina’s mission and music.

“We’re going to sing and dance through this, not just grieve,” Hrija, the band manager, said. “We also deserve to feel joy because we’re here. We’re still here, and we’ll continue to be here.”

Viva Palestina has upcoming shows on Monday and next Thursday. Find more information on the group’s Instagram.

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