Malek Jandali

Active as both a composer and pianist, Malek Jandali integrates Western and Middle Eastern elements in his work. His compositions have been widely performed in his adoptive U.S. Jandali was born in Homs, Syria, in 1972. His cousins include novelist Mona Simpson and her brother, Apple founder Steve Jobs. Jandali started his career as a pianist, studying at the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus with Vladimir Zaritsky; he also traveled to the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow for studies with Ivan Bunin. Jandali took first place in the Syrian National Young Artists Competit...