SONGS OF LIBERATION: John Kameel Farah, Piano & Electronics
Part of The Theatre Centre’s Tiny Concert Series
John Kameel Farah is a Palestinian-Canadian composer who combines elements of Baroque and Arabic music, improvisation and electronic soundscapes, to create music he calls “Arabic-Baroque-Futurism”. In his concerts, he draws on themes of resistance, liberation and Palestinian identity, sharing his perspectives on Near-Eastern history and culture. Surrounding the piano with synthesizers and electronics, he weaves unfolding sonic tapestries in which looping drones morph into Baroque-style fugues and driving Arabic percussion.
One of Canada’s most creative pianists, John Kameel Farah studied at the University of Toronto, where he received the Glenn Gould Composition Award twice. He later worked privately with Terry Riley in California and continued studies at the Arabic Music Retreat in Hartford.
Also a visual artist, Farah creates intricate ink drawings, inspired by astronomy, sound waves, and ancient Near-Eastern motifs, projecting them during his concerts.
With a life-long passion for Baroque music, he performed Bach’s complete Well-Tempered Clavier from memory in 2023, and frequently includes electronic interpretations of Bach’s work alongside his own compositions and improvisations.
John joined the Canadian Electronic Ensemble in 2010 and was a guest-performer with Tangerine Dream in Toronto in 2023. He has toured across Europe and North America, as well as South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, Jordan and Palestine, giving master-classes at the Edward Said National Conservatory in Ramallah in 1998 and 2003. He recently completed a residency with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, writing a piano concerto to be premiered in 2026. In 2024 he performed his own works at the Berlin Philharmonic, and was awarded the Johanna Metcalf Award for the Performing Arts from the Metcalf Foundation.
Programmed in partnership with Wan.
“I’m excited to work with The Theatre Centre on this series for Spring/Summer 2026. Together we will work in partnership to design and explore an intimate music series featuring local artists. Our aim is to animate the building’s unique spaces. It’s always great to create more opportunities to connect with our scene.” – Wan
Wan is a Community-minded cultural curator, event producer, and programmer logging 20+ years of programming experience with over 5 years of public art curation. As a child growing up in Toronto, he sat in the living room of his neighbour’s apartment amongst a clutter of records and watched as the painter and sculptor formed works of art. Wan has carried this sense of wonder through his curation work as music director of The Manifesto Festival and his production capacities as co-founder of the long-running music event series Gumbo and The Main Ingredient.
As Curator he has worked on three photo based public art exhibitions. Wan is constantly seeking new opportunities to work in partnership with creatives, organizations and institutions to grow his curatorial and programming practice, while making space for interesting and fresh ideas and perspectives both within and outside of his lived experience.
May 16
Tickets are Pay What You Want, starting at $0
Franco Boni Theatre
May 16 at 7pm
This performance will kick off a number of smaller events that we’re calling our Tiny Concert Series for Torontonians, increasing the community’s access to shared arts and culture experiences.
We will be hosting free and low-cost, outdoor music events over the spring/summer months, moving them indoors if the weather is poor. The music programming will span a range of genres including R&B, soul, reggae, and jazz and will feature the dynamic talents of local musicians.
This performance is 105 minutes (including a 15 minute intermission)
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