The Official Website
NaseeM Alatrash
"It is, by any reasonable measure, a remarkable debut, an assured and often breathtaking work presented in an orchestral form that quickly reveals the breath of the composer’s artistic universe. While the cultural roots of the Arab world are clearly present, they serve less as a boundary than as a structural foundation upon which Naseem Alatrash builds, traveling musically across continents and traditions. The result is a body of work that feels attentive to the wider world, expansive in scope and intention
To create a work of such emotional and structural richness requires more than technical mastery: it demands the capacity to feel, to understand, and ultimately to absorb one’s own experience before offering it to the world in transformed form.
If this debut is any indication, Naseem Alatrash stands at the beginning of a career that may well broaden the international visibility of Palestinian composers and performers. More than that, it suggests the emergence of a musical voice capable of speaking across borders, one that reminds listeners, in an increasingly fragmented world, that art still possesses the rare power to connect, to console, and to illuminate." Paris Move
"What ultimately distinguishes Bright Colors On A Dark Canvas is the consistency of its musical language across the suite’s full arc. Repeated maqam figures, pizzicato groove patterns, rising string layers, and tightly contained improvisational exchanges keep pulling the music back toward the same tonal and rhythmic center. Rather than presenting Arabic modal language, jazz improvisation, and contemporary classical writing as contrasting identities, Alatrash treats them as compatible materials capable of generating a unified compositional voice. The result is a suite that delights gradually, through repeated figures, layered entrances, restrained releases, and a tonal language that never loses its center. That’s the short of it!" - Staccatofy
Biography:
Naseem Alatrash is a Grammy-nominated cellist and composer/educator based in Boston, MA. The Chicago Tribune praised Alatrash for his "particularly lustrous tone." His performances blend improvisation with traditional melodies, emphasizing Arabic music, contemporary classical influences, and Jazz. He is currently touring as a soloist while also performing in various ensembles, including the Global Messengers with Grammy-winning pianist Danilo Pérez and the Turtle Island Quartet, which is on tour with Grammy-winning composer/trumpetist Terence Blanchard. Alatrash has performed at numerous international festivals, including the Newport Jazz Festival, Detroit Jazz, and the Abu Dhabi Music Festival, and has performed at prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center and Royal Albert Hall. As an educator, Naseem serves as a visiting assistant professor of Cello and ensembles at Berklee College of Music, directs the Arab Music Ensemble at Tufts University, and leads the Global Folk Traditions Ensemble at Longy School of Music, conducting workshops worldwide. Alatrash earned the first prize in the Mass Cultural Council’s composition fellowship award in 2021 for his outstanding work. He has received grants from the Foundation and the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC). He has been honored as String Player of the Year twice by The National Music Competition of Palestine and holds Bachelor's, Master's, and Post-Master's degrees from Berklee College of Music.
Credits
Bright Colors on a Dark Canvas
A Suite for Cello, Piano, Percussion, and String Orchestra
Composed by Grammy-nominated Palestinian cellist Naseem Alatrash
Orchestrated by four-time Grammy-winning cellist/composer Eugene Friesen
Bright Colors on a Dark Canvas marks the debut album of Naseem Alatrash, a groundbreaking artist whose music bridges Arabic maqam, Western classical traditions, and contemporary jazz. In this deeply personal work, Alatrash reimagines the cello as a leading voice in Arabic music — an instrument capable not only of lyrical beauty, but of improvisation, storytelling, and emotional depth beyond conventional boundaries.
The Suite is a musical meditation on displacement, resilience, and the human cost of war. Through its four movements, Alatrash gives voice to the stories of refugees — their loss, endurance, and unyielding hope. Each movement captures a different stage of that journey, transforming lived experience into sound.
I. Riwaya (“Narrative”)
Dedicated to Alatrash’s hometown, Bethlehem — its ancient streets, the bells of the church, and the call to prayer, and the smell of freshly baked pita bread. Riwaya is a nostalgic portrait of home, painted with tenderness and longing.
II. Ramad (“Ashes”)
War's eruption silences joy and normal life. Ramad is dark and haunting, filled with tension, fear, and uncertainty — a musical depiction of loss and devastation.
III. Lifta
Lifta — named after a historic Palestinian village — traces the haunting journey of displacement: the weariness of endless travel, the courage required to face the unknown, and the fleeting, bittersweet memories that linger like echoes of home. Moments of serenity are pierced by delicate, transient ornaments that recall voices and places long lost.
Originally composed as an elegy for cello and piano, Lifta was first released in 2019 as a single accompanied by a music video filmed in the village itself. On this recording, Alatrash unveils a new arrangement for cello, piano, and string orchestra, expanding the work’s emotional and sonic landscape while preserving its intimate heart.
IV. Risala (“A Message”)
Opening in mystery and ending in hope, Risala envisions return — the dream of reunion, of rebuilding, of shared humanity. It celebrates perseverance, solidarity, and the unbreakable spirit that endures even in exile.
Framed by improvised interludes, Bright Colors on a Dark Canvas features Chase Morrin (piano) and George Lernis (percussion) alongside Alatrash’s expressive cello. The result is a stirring, cross-cultural suite that transcends genre and geography — a testament to music’s power to heal, remember, and inspire.
Released February 27, 2026
All compositions by Naseem Alatrash
Orchestration and Conducting by Eugene Friesen
Editing by Inna Dudukina and Chase Morrin
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Antonio Oliart at Fraser Performance Studios – WGBH, Brighton, MA
Special thanks to Jussi Reijonen and Inna Dudukina for their invaluable support during the recording sessions.
Ensemble Personnel:
Conductor: Eugene Friesen
Soloists/featured artists– Naseem Alatrash (Cello/composition), Chase Morrin (Piano), George Lernis (Percussion)
1st Violins – Bengisu Gokce, Lilit Hartunian, Greta Myatieva, Heeyeon Chung, Aija Reke
2nd Violins – Eric Mrugala, Liubomyr Senyshyn, Helen Sherrah-Davies, Miyu Imai
Violas – David Wallace, Anna Stromer, Raymond Dineen
Cellos – Mina Kim, Naomi Steckman
Acoustic Bass – Bruno Råberg
This project was made possible by a Live Arts Boston grant from The Boston Foundation and the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC).