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01/12/2011 22:08 Faces of Young Iraq - The Washington Post Page 1 of 3 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/young-iraq/#the-musician Going Out Guide Jobs Cars Real Estate Rentals Classifieds Africa The Americas Asia & Pacific Europe Middle East National Security War Zones Special Reports Checkpoint Washington In the News Huntsman viral videos Boeing Egypt elections Penn State Newt Gingrich Search The Washington Post Share: More > Faces of the Iraqi youth The musician, Ranya Nashat Listening for harmony By Dan Zak, Saturday, November 26 BAGHDAD — It was a full house. People even sat on the stairs, listening to Iraq's National Symphony Orchestra perform Beethoven's Third in the National Theater, which was pillaged and charred during the anarchy following the 2003 U.S. invasion. The scene in October would have been unimaginable five years ago, when Iraq was at its worst, or 11 years ago, when Ranya Nashat was first assigned the French horn in school and was hypnotized by its shiny brass and majestic tones. "It's miraculous," she said of the show. "When I started with the orchestra in 2007, there wouldn't be more than 45 people in the audience." Now 19 and starting college in Baghdad, Nashat plays the horn with the national symphony and the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq, which recruits its budding talent from many corners of the country. She sometimes practices in the bathroom at home, in the southern Baghdad neighborhood, using a towel to mute the horn's resonance so she doesn't disturb her parents and younger brother. Horn music has been the melodic counterpoint to a childhood of discord: The agony of learning a close friend had died during the massacre at Our Lady of Salvation Church last year . The yearning of the horn solo during the third movement of Brahms's symphony No. 3. The sharp disbelief over insurgents gunning down her uncle in 2005 as he stood in the doorway of his home. The quieting effect of the horn on the frenetic violins in the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth. She doesn't know how she and her peers survived their traumatic childhoods. "We were so young," she said. "I can't remember how we dealt with it. I guess we just got used to it." When asked to define the American legacy over mochaccinos at a coffee shop near al-Watheq Square in Baghdad last month, she stared off into the distance and sighed. "Everything and nothing," she said. "I'd choose 2003 before now. It was safer. You need safety in order to live and evolve and be an active member of society." Sign In Register Now Print Subscription Conversations Today's Paper POLITICS OPINIONS LOCAL SPORTS National World Business Investigations Lifestyle Entertainment Multimedia
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01/12/2011 22:08Faces of Young Iraq - The Washington Post
Page 1 of 3http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/young-iraq/#the-musician
Going Out Guide Jobs Cars Real Estate Rentals Classifieds
Africa The Americas Asia & Pacific Europe Middle East National Security War Zones Special Reports Checkpoint Washington
In the News Huntsman viral videos Boeing Egypt elections Penn State Newt Gingrich Search The Washington Post
Share: More >Faces of the Iraqi youth
The musician, Ranya NashatListening for harmonyBy Dan Zak, Saturday, November 26BAGHDAD — It was a full house. People even sat on the stairs, listening to Iraq's National Symphony Orchestra perform Beethoven's
Third in the National Theater, which was pillaged and charred during the anarchy following the 2003 U.S. invasion.
The scene in October would have been unimaginable five years ago, when Iraq was at its worst, or 11 years ago, when Ranya Nashat
was first assigned the French horn in school and was hypnotized by its shiny brass and majestic tones.
"It's miraculous," she said of the show. "When I started with the orchestra in 2007, there wouldn't be more than 45 people in the
audience."
Now 19 and starting college in Baghdad, Nashat plays the horn with the national symphony and the National Youth Orchestra of Iraq,
which recruits its budding talent from many corners of the country. She sometimes practices in the bathroom at home, in the southern
Baghdad neighborhood, using a towel to mute the horn's resonance so she doesn't disturb her parents and younger brother.
Horn music has been the melodic counterpoint to a childhood of discord: The agony of learning a close friend had died during the
massacre at Our Lady of Salvation Church last year. The yearning of the horn solo during the third movement of Brahms's symphony
No. 3. The sharp disbelief over insurgents gunning down her uncle in 2005 as he stood in the doorway of his home. The quieting effect
of the horn on the frenetic violins in the first movement of Beethoven's Fifth.
She doesn't know how she and her peers survived their traumatic childhoods.
"We were so young," she said. "I can't remember how we dealt with it. I guess we just got used to it."
When asked to define the American legacy over mochaccinos at a coffee shop near al-Watheq Square in Baghdad last month, she
stared off into the distance and sighed.
"Everything and nothing," she said. "I'd choose 2003 before now. It was safer. You need safety in order to live and evolve and be an
active member of society."
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01/12/2011 22:08Faces of Young Iraq - The Washington Post
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Related Story: Iraq's young prepare to inherit a scarred nation
Read More: See our complete foreign coverage.
SOURCE: Dan Zak. PHOTOS: Dan Zak. GRAPHIC: Emily Chow - The Washington Post. Published Nov. 26, 2011
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In a city of nerves and checkpoints, where mobility is limited and travel time is doubled and tripled by traffic, it's challenging to maintain
a hobby and commit to an entity such as an orchestra, let alone two. The national symphony does not have a dedicated rehearsal
space. Arts and culture take a back seat to matters of security and economy. Of the country's 26 ministries, the Ministry of Culture is
fourth from the bottom in terms of funding; it receives 0.3 percent of the total budget for ministries.
Nashat would like to study the instrument abroad - she feels she has reached her learning potential here - but she would return
afterward.
"Iraq needs its people," Nashat said. "I would come back and teach. I'd teach only girls. I'd have an all-girl French-horn army."
01/12/2011 22:08Faces of Young Iraq - The Washington Post
Page 3 of 3http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/young-iraq/#the-musician
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Join Dan Zak for a live Q&A on Monday at 11 a.m. or send in your questions now. http://live.washingtonpost.com/iraq-generation.htm...
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