Today, Elias Bachoura releases his very first solo work: the single “L’étranger”, announcing the arrival of his debut album Biharayto. In this piece, he captures the joyful and often deeply moving moments of reuniting with loved ones after life has kept them apart for far too long. At the same time, he explores the disorienting sensation of feeling like a stranger, to others and even to oneself, when everything appears unchanged yet is unmistakably different.
Biharayto lies at the heart of this new artistic chapter. It is far more than an oud album: it is a musical diary that gathers fourteen years of creative work. Its eight compositions move fluidly between modal, tonal, and atonal structures, forging a connection between his Syrian and Belgian cultural heritage. The Aramaic title carries the resonance of liberation: after twenty years of a discreet yet constant presence in the Brussels music scene, Elias now steps forward with clarity and conviction as both composer and solo artist.
In Biharayto, he interweaves the rich oriental colors of the Syrian maqâms with contemporary composition. The pieces delve into themes such as memory and exile, loss and transmission, what we carry with us when we leave a country, and what we gradually rebuild elsewhere. Each work tells its own story: a moment, a city, an encounter. Together, they form an intimate journey through his personal and artistic evolution, moving between Damascus and Brussels.
Elias Bachoura studied at the Damascus Conservatory before obtaining a master’s degree in composition from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. His career reflects an exceptional command of both Eastern and Western musical traditions. A pivotal encounter in 1996 with the legendary Munir Bashir profoundly transformed his understanding of maqâm and improvisation. Since arriving in Belgium in 2001, he has collaborated with numerous ensembles, performed at international festivals, and grown into a respected reference within his field. His playing radiates subtlety, imagination, and depth; qualities that resound clearly throughout his first solo project.
Starting today, L’étranger is available to listen to, offering a first glimpse of the full album set for release soon.