Saxophonist Spreads Hope and Positivity
The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously impacted the world. Quarantine and lockdowns have now become the new normal. Practicing social distancing and continuous hygiene are the newest routines. But despite all of the changes we witness, music’s ability to evoke positivity and hope remains constant. If you’re a fan of music, discover below how Zeid Abu Hijleh transformed one of Jordan’s Dead Sea hotels into the liveliest and most entertaining places during quarantine.
Who is Zeid Abu Hijleh?
In case you didn’t know, Zeid is a second-year Jordanian medical student and saxophonist. No, you didn’t read wrong. In fact, he gives an excellent insight on how music influences health! “It plays a pivotal role,” he admits. “As a med student, things can be stressful and overwhelming, which affects my health. But music has always been a distinctive asset that has helped me when this happens.” Zeid explains further that music has personally helped him become more positive, patient, and most importantly confident with himself and his surroundings. Even though he traveled to Cyprus to study, he didn’t leave performance behind.
Live Music in the Dead Sea Hotel
If you recall, all travelers that came back to Jordan were quarantined in Amman and Dead Sea Hotels. When Zeid returned to the kingdom, he was lucky to have his saxophone with him. The young Jordanian has recognized thanks to his music covers on YouTube, and travelers asked if he could play for them. After two days of continuous encouragement, he picked up his saxophone and played for the entire hotel. “I didn’t think much about it. I was trying to give people a morale boost while doing what I love. The next thing I know, someone took a video, and it went viral. Even my mother called me later at night about it.” Zeid recalled. Following that night, he began playing for 30 minutes during the time of quarantine. He played various tunes ranging from Abdel Hamid Hafez’s classics to songs like Fly Me to the Moon.
Musical Opportunities
On the twelfth day of the quarantine, Zeid was informed that there was a married couple in the hotel. Unfortunately, their wedding celebration got canceled due to the pandemic. Zeid decided to play them the saxophone, and the hotel staff prepared and safely delivered them a cake to celebrate. The young saxophonist had been asked to play at weddings many times, but he never took up the offer until now. One thing is for sure, it was a memorable experience! After his performance went viral, Zeid is now set to perform his tunes live on his Instagram page for everyone to see and listen to.
New Music on The Way
Now that he’s on spring break and taking online classes, Zeid has more time on his hands. He revealed that back in sixth grade, he had composed a song called “Lost,” in memory of the passing of his favorite teacher. He was overcome with grief at the time and couldn’t continue the song. Now, Zeid’s unwavering passion for music has helped him pick up the music sheets and compose again! So he is now working hard on completing the song which will include a mix of the Oud and saxophone.
Zeid encourages all Jordanians who have a passion for music or anything else to believe in themselves. No matter what your talent is, it will create an impact. He also urges everyone to do the things they love and be confident about what they do. To wrap up, we’d like to share with you Zeid’s reflection during his time in quarantine: “We may have been physically quarantined, but never mind. Music gave our minds the chance to roam freely beyond the four walls of confinement. And that is the ultimate power.”
We can’t agree more! From the Umniah team, we hope you’re all safe and sound. Stay positive and hopeful, this will be over soon. We’re all in this together!
