Renowned Syrian musician quits Syria again
Syria, Local, 2/13/2002

Syrian renowned pianist Dr. Ghazwan al-Zarkli has decided to leave his country once again and return back to Germany after he was dismissed by the current minister of culture Najwa Qassab Hassan.

In an open message under the title "to whom may concern' al-Zerkli said "It is very painful for me that Syria brings in her emigrants citizens and then to dismiss them that way. Thus I am once again pushed to leave my country."

Former Minister Maha Qanout in the Autumn of 2000 invited al-Zerkli ( 85 year old) in a message in which she urged him to return back home in the context of new directives to maintain contacts with the Syrian expatriates and to benefit from their expertise, within the context of the directives of President Bashar al-Assad to "maintain contacts with Syrian emigrants and urge them to serve their own country." And this matter was later crystallized by the foundation of a ministry of expatriates affairs led by former minister of state for foreign affairs Nasser Qaddour.

Then al-Zerkli responded positively to the invitation and the Syrian media welcomed his return and gave wide coverage to the celebration made commemorating his coming home back, especially after he performed special musical evenings at al-Assad's house for culture and the arts in his being the only Syrian composer who toured 91 countries and won high scientific degrees in playing the piano from Berlin to Moscow besides the many international awards.

Encouraged by the media and official warm welcome he severed his relations with the Conservator of the German city of Osna Breok and started working at the Higher Institute for Music in Damascus as former minister Qanout appointed him as an assistant secretary for the dean of the institute Solhi al-Wadi and then a teacher for piano at the institute according to a ministerial decision issued on April 21, 2001.

Al-Zekli explained that as from October 2001 "my three students were put under the supervision of other teachers and I have become without students and then I was exempted from my post after the teacher of music at the ministry of education Fawzi al-Jeiroudi was appointed in my place according to a decision by the recent minister Najwa Qassab Hassan," who assumed he post as a minister in succession of Qannout in a cabinet reshuffle by the end of 2001.

During his work at the institute al-Zarkli sought to appoint an assistant for foreign experts at the institute and to found a council for the institute which is headed by al-Wadi who is known by all for his artistic talents and skills but, on the other hand, blamed for being fond of having posts ( said to be six posts) including the Syria national symphony band, the Arab institute for music in Damascus and Aleppo, the Ballet school and the higher institute for the theatre.

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