Exploring Artistic Identity, Healing, and Resistance - A Palestinian Musician's Journey by Richard Alsadi

This thesis is an autoethnographic investigation of artistic identity, healing, and liberation, informed by my journey as a Palestinian musician and artist navigating the connections of music, heritage, and political turmoil. Through collaborations with artists across cultures, improvisational methods, and exploring various global music traditions, I investigate the psychological and cultural dimensions of a contested identity that both carries and alters collective pain. The heart of this work lies in a continuous dialogue between the self, the collective, and sound—a triad that reveals layers of creativity and survival intertwined within my identity. This research comprises original compositions, interviews, and collaborations with Palestinian and international artists, resulting in a diverse soundscape where tradition and innovation coexist. Working with the qanun and other instruments, I seek to recall personal experiences and the shared memories and complex realities of people who have endured. The research culminates in performances that offer glimpses of hope, humanity, and connection, framed within the broader context of Palestinian artistry in a world that frequently dismisses or deliberately denies its existence. Ultimately, this thesis questions and redefines what it means to be a creator in a world marked by systematic erasure. It argues that art can be a powerful reclaiming of voice, a way of confronting the fragmentation imposed upon an identity. In exploring how music becomes a pathway to the inner self, a bridge to ancestral memory, and a gesture of solidarity, I hope to illuminate the essential human drive for expression and the enduring will to survive.

Reflections on Sound and Self

As I reflect on this journey of writing my thesis, I find that the process is not merely an academic one but a deeply personal and emotional exploration. Throughout the past two years, I have traversed through moments of joy, struggle, pain, and revelation, encountering a broad spectrum of human experiences. The essence of this thesis lies in the intersection between these experiences and my artistic identity, which continues to evolve as I interact with the world around me—particularly in the context of being a Palestinian artist during a time of political turmoil and global unrest.

This process has involved not only intellectual inquiry but also a profound psychological and emotional journey. Through the lens of autoethnography, I have attempted to document my thoughts, collaborations, and improvisations, which act as a release of the tension built up through years of carrying the weight of a conflicted identity and witnessing the harsh realities of life in my homeland. Music, for me, has been the channel through which I can express what words cannot, and this is especially true when I improvise, allowing myself to connect with my instrument and the people around me in a way that transcends ordinary interaction.

Collaborations with artists like those in my trio AAYAAM, with Faris Ishaq,....(I will include all collaborators) and with others from diverse cultural backgrounds have provided rich, shared spaces of creation. Each of these moments has offered insights into not only their musicality but their personal and cultural histories. The result has been a greater understanding of what drives us all, what rituals and practices sustain our creativity, and how we use music as a form of communication and connection.

This thesis ultimately seeks to investigate the relationship between identity and artistic freedom. My reflections have revealed that identity itself is not static but a constantly shifting narrative. In my case, it is influenced by the ongoing crisis in Palestine, by the memories of growing up in Bethlehem during the First and Second Intifadas, and by my current life in Helsinki. Music becomes both a form of resistance and a medium for healing, a way to reclaim my voice and express the collective pain of my people, while also creating beauty in a world that often denies us that right.

At this moment, as I prepare for my master concert on December 13th, I find that this performance will serve as the culmination of everything I have experienced and reflected upon. The concert will feature compositions and improvisations with musicians from diverse backgrounds, including collaborators from Argentina and Slovenia. It will be a space where the emotions stirred by the ongoing violence in Palestine are given expression through music. The master concert, much like this thesis, is not just a representation of who I am but a reflection of the ever-changing nature of identity and artistic expression in a world fraught with uncertainty.

The lyrics I will sing are drawn from Palestinian poetry, expressing the shared pain of my people, and I am working closely with musicians to arrange and compose these pieces in a way that honors this collective experience. While this thesis may be published before the concert, the performance itself will act as a continuation of my journey, an unfolding of the exploration into identity that I have been deeply engaged in.

In the end, this reflection brings together all the elements of my journey—my collaborations, the improvisations, the struggles, the inspirations, and the emotional weight of being a Palestinian artist in today’s world. Music has allowed me to transcend borders and limitations, and through it, I seek not just to express myself but to explore the possibility of a deeper, collective healing.

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Reflections on Sound and Self