Renowned composer and pianist Fazıl Say has spoken out strongly against Israel’s recent attacks on Gaza, calling on his Western colleagues in the classical music world to end their silence on the issue.
In a heartfelt post on his social media account, Say criticized major Western classical music institutions for what he described as their “pro-Israel” stance. He expressed deep disappointment, saying: “This is a shameful situation for me. I feel very lonely, even while making music and sharing my emotions ... The manipulation is such that Palestinian supporters are being labeled as ‘anti-Semites,’ and the situation has become ugly. They should be ashamed. They will not be able to sleep peacefully.”
Say condemned the occupation in Gaza as an outright genocide and used his platform to make a direct appeal to his fellow musicians: “This is a genocide happening in Gaza, period. We must not remain silent about this murder, colleagues. Wake up, music world! Be human, please ... Do not stay silent in the face of this despair and injustice. Now you can cancel all my concerts if you want. I want to live the rest of my life with dignity. You play whichever concerts you want, if you can live with yourselves.”
