13/05/2026
PalMusic UK congratulates the on their
remarkable recent performance in London.
We are particularly proud of our two past PalMusic UK scholars, Tibah and Omar Saad, who studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland a few years ago.
Head to .duchen’s Substack for an excellent review of their concert.
“‘Tour in Galilee’ is a piece Mostafa composed for his brother Omar as a gift when he was released from prison after refusing to serve in the Israeli army. The siblings belong to the Palestinian community living in the 1948 lands in Galilee. As a result, they have Israeli citizenship.
In addition to coming from this minority, they are Druze, a minority within a minority. In 1956, Israel passed a law of obligatory military service for Druze men. Many Druze people refused service, including the brothers and their father.
In 2013, following the call for his service, Omar became known for saying
“I will not be the fuel for your wars, nor a soldier in your army”
In December of that year, Omar was imprisoned over his conscientious objection to military service. With his mother’s tears, his father’s distress at the absence of his eldest son, and the fading smiles in their home, Mostafa found refuge in music.
On the way from the family home to prison visits, the family passed the entire Galilee, from east to west, from near Lake Tiberias all the way to the Mediterranean sea.
In 2014, attempting to capture the mountainous landscape and life in Galilee, Mostafa wrote Tour in Galilee to surprise his brother Omar with joy upon his release and finally play music together.
Blending the Western music they had studied with their Arab music they grew up with, dreaming that one day they would perform this piece on international stages.”
From the Barbican’s Programme at Milton Court, 3rd May 2026
📸 Photos and videos from and
