Winning piece ‘Suite of Palestine’ showcases folk music, Arab identity AMMAN: Palestinian composer Ahmed Abu Abed took first place at the USA Music Composition International Competition in June. Abu Abed is a music teacher at the Modern American School in Amman, Jordan. As a newcomer to the competition scene, he virtually attended the monthly event hosted by the International Youth Music Competition, which welcomed 110 musicians from 33 countries. Abu Abed’s winning piece, titled “Suite of Palestine,” was a showcase of Palestinian folk music that highlighted the importance of preserving Arab identity, he told The Jordan Times. As a composer for five years, he observed the dedication and time required to create music that represents heritage. “I think heritage is one of the most important issues that people care about, especially as it constitutes an important base in preserving the personalities and spiritual value of these peoples,” Abu Abed said. Because of the “lack of Palestinian composers in the field,” especially in an orchestral setting, he emphasized the importance of creating new folk music. Abu Abed believes that his contribution to Palestinian folk music will increase opportunities for the genre to be played on orchestral instruments and developed further by other artists. He described Palestinian folk music as “raw material” for an orchestral composition, adding that “it is an exceptional piece of inspiration for composers.” Abu Abed said that his goal is to present Palestinian folk songs to the world and show how “beautiful and expressive” the music is in order to preserve traditional elements while refining the genre for the present day. The composer will travel to New York City in early 2023 to perform “Suite of Palestine” for a live audience at a prize-winner recital.