The Pianist

Marc Kawwas, a young Palestinian pianist of great talent and promise, was born in Bethlehem in 2006. His love of music was nurtured from a young age, and he has been playing the piano since he was six. He recently passed grade seven with a 98 percent average.
As a student at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, Marc has shown extraordinary professionalism. He is an enthusiastic music lover, practices regularly, composes music, and gives frequent performances. His participation in recitals, concerts, and competitions has awarded him numerous accolades. He has even performed in the United Kingdom. Currently, he is a level seven piano student at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music Tchaikovsky Music School branch in Bethlehem.
Some of the places where Marc has performed include the Bethlehem Peace Center, The Russian Center for Science and Culture, The Walled Off Hotel (Banksy Hotel), Talitha Kumi College, Naseeb Shaheen Auditorium at Birzeit University, various branches of The Edward Said National Conservatory of Music, Yabous Cultural Center, President Putin Palestinian Organization for Culture and Economy, and Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, United Kingdom.

His first music competition was the 2016 Palestinian National Chopin Competition for juniors and youth in which he won first prize as a junior pianist. He also won first prize at the Jugend Musiziert Competition in January 2018, as well as at The Palestinian Talent Program Competition in May 2018 and The Concerto Competition of the National Conservatory of Music in December 2018.
In February 2019, Marc performed with The Edward Said Conservatory Orchestra, conducted by Pierre-Antoine Marçais, and played a solo piano concerto by Mozart.
His passion for music goes far beyond playing the piano. In 2017, Marc wrote and composed a Christmas song, performing it at a number of Christmas festivals accompanied by his sister singing. In 2018, Marc wrote and composed another song called “Falasteen” (Palestine). His young sister also sang it at various festivals in Palestine. In 2019, he composed a classical piece and called it “Life’s Secret,” which he played during his concerts in Palestine and the United Kingdom.
In August 2019, Marc attended Chethem’s International Summer School and Festival for Pianists in Manchester, United Kingdom, assisted by the Friends of the National Conservatory of Music PalMusic UK. At Chetham’s, a special audition was arranged, and Marc was offered a chance to continue his studies there starting September 2020. Two weeks of master classes, workshops, and concerts by international pianists and an orchestra have added significantly to Marc’s experience as a musician. “My passion for piano keeps growing, and I dream of becoming a great Palestinian pianist, composer, and conductor.”
In October 2019, the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music organized a tour of recitals for Marc in Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. He played ten pieces by various composers from different periods, including Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Bach, and other modern composers. Marc played “Prelude for Piano” by the Palestinian composer Salvador Arnita, and he ended his recitals by playing his own composition, “Life’s Secret.”