Refections in Turmoil is a piano solo composition born out of the profound emotional and psychological impact of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Written during a period of uncertainty and anguish, this work refects my own inner turmoil as I grapple with being separated from my family and homeland, while they continue to live under the devastating realities of war and displacement.

The piece is structured in a contemporary idiom, particularly drawing from dodecaphonic (12-tone) and serial techniques, emphasizing a fragmented and unpredictable nature. The atonal structure mirrors the chaotic and unstable environment in which the people of Gaza endure. This dissonant and often fragmented language is not only a refection of the turmoil and destruction, but also of the overwhelming emotional dissonance felt when witnessing the indifference of the world to the plight of the Palestinian people. It stands as a response to the political manipulation of lives and futures, a commentary on the world’s silence in the face of suffering, and the tragic detachment that persists in international discourse.

The rhythmic structure of the piece is equally significant. It fluctuates between moments of frantic, jagged energy and stretches of unsettling stillness. These contrasts symbolize the oscillating nature of hope and despair, urgency and helplessness. The occasional bursts of intense activity are followed by moments of exhaustion or resignation, mirroring the cyclical violence and loss, as well as the fragile moments of refection when the reality of the situation momentarily breaks through.

The sarcastic and regretful tone woven into the music embodies my complex emotions: frustration with the manipulation and hypocrisy that continue to sustain such confects, yet a deep, unshakeable sorrow for my family, my people, and the home I’ve been forced to leave. It is a personal meditation on the cost of inaction and indifference, and a reminder of the human lives affected by forces beyond their control.

In Reflections in Turmoil, the piano serves as both a voice of protest and a vessel for the emotional weight of displacement. The music is not just a refection of external confect but also an inner refection of the struggle between hope, despair, and the painful silence of a world that has turned away. Through this work, I offer a sonic refection on the human cost of war and the aching need for justice, peace, and recognition.