IN CONCERT
What: Hersh Anwer
When: Monday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Phillip T. Young Recital Hall, University of Victoria
Tickets: $10, $20, $50 (supporter level) available through eventbrite.com and at the door (cash only)
The first sign Hersh Anwer was a musical child was his constant singing of Kurdish folk and C茅line Dion songs while growing up in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
鈥淢y older brother said: 鈥榊ou have talent. I鈥檝e seen things in you that you don鈥檛 know are special,鈥� 鈥� said Anwer, 26, at Habit Coffee on Pandora Avenue.
His early love of sa国际传媒鈥檚 most famous chanteuse not only foreshadowed a future in music, but a life in Dion鈥檚 native land.
Anwer came to Victoria in 2016 as a refugee, with a dream to pursue his studies and eventual career as a classical pianist and composer. He gives his first recital in this country on Monday at UVic鈥檚 Phillip T. Young Recital Hall. The concert, which is also a fundraiser for his studies, features music by Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Liszt and Kurdish composers, as well as Anwer鈥檚 own works.
鈥淚t was always my dream to study abroad and my passion is composing 鈥� I can do that here,鈥� Anwer said.
His journey has been more challenging than that of most young musicians, and began long before he can remember.
鈥淭his is the second time in my life as a refugee,鈥� Anwer said. When he was six months old, his family was forced to flee Iraq on foot because Saddam Hussein was targeting Kurdish people. Anwer was carried across the border by his cousin, who was only 13 or 14 years old at the time.
The family was able to return to their city of Erbil in Kurdistan after six months. Anwer鈥檚 mother died from breast cancer a year later and his father remarried, bringing their blended family to a total of 11 children.
鈥淚t was always a busy household,鈥� said Anwer, who didn鈥檛 start studying music until he was 18, when his brother helped him get into the local fine arts institute.
鈥淚 went there with a lot of hope to study rock guitar, but they didn鈥檛 have that. So, I thought acoustic guitar. But no. Then saxophone. Not that either. Then it was: 鈥極K, piano,鈥� 鈥� he said.
Anwer said he was lucky to be able to study under one of the country鈥檚 top classical pianists for several years, but struggled after his teacher left.
鈥淚 had no teacher when he left, so I decided to do whatever I could, no matter what,鈥� said Anwer, who practised on his own for hours, watching YouTube videos and imitating master pianists such as Vladimir Ashkenazy playing Chopin鈥檚 Nocturnes.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have a piano at home, so I had to fight to play,鈥� he said. His father, a blacksmith and devout Muslim, did not initially approve of his choice to pursue a life in music.
Anwer attended summer performing-arts academies run by an American non-profit organization. In 2012, he was recognized as the top young pianist in Iraq with a $35,000 US scholarship to study music at East Carolina University in the U.S. for a year.
鈥淚t was an amazing experience, but also difficult,鈥� he said. He learned to speak English and built a strong musical community, but also experienced racism because of his Muslim heritage, even though he鈥檚 an atheist.
Anwer hoped to continue his studies with government support, but that fell apart when the country was thrown into turmoil by conflict with Islamic State in 2014, he said. The Kurdistan region suffered a financial depression as war halted tourism and funds from Iraq. Then, Syrian refugees started flooding in.
鈥淚 was going to give up music and registered for the army. I was jealous of friends who joined to fight ISIS,鈥� he said.
His mind was changed by John Ferguson, an American pianist who mentored him.
鈥淗e convinced me that there are people who have to save their culture and music. This is what I want to do for Kurdistan,鈥� Anwer said. Ferguson and other friends encouraged him to come to sa国际传媒 and connected him with a group of people in Victoria.
He said he is grateful for the support he has received, from housing and access to rehearsal space at the Victoria Conservatory of Music to help with paperwork, finances and his concert.
鈥淭he LGBT community has been a big supporter,鈥� Anwer said. 鈥淲hen I came here, I stayed with two husbands, which was new for me to see. In my country, straight people don鈥檛 have human rights, so it鈥檚 very hard for gay people.鈥�
Anwer said his concert is also a thank-you to the many people who have supported him in Victoria. He hopes to study composition at the University of British Columbia and to one day help other young musicians from Kurdistan.
鈥淚t鈥檚 so important for sa国际传媒 to accept more refugees. People really need this country [for safety] and the more culture, the more multicultural, the richer we鈥檒l be,鈥� he said.
