Milad Yousufi
Afghanistan

Willow (2020) will be premiered at the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Asian Art on October 17th 2020. The musical score includes a new poem and a new painting.
It is connected to Beethoven’s Sonata no. 8 in c minor Op.13, “Pathétique” .

The piece is dedicated to my mother, my family and all Afghan refugees who have suffered deeply under Taliban rule.
May peace return to our homeland!

Composer’s Note:

I named my composition Willow because for me the Willow tree is different from all other trees and has a special depth, similarly to how Beethoven’s music shines with its unique quality and depth, as well as the complex and unusual aspects of my own life.

Willow evokes what Afghanistan is currently experiencing and what I as an artist felt upon leaving my country. Musically, Willow is inspired by Beethoven’s Pathetique” Sonata, by Afghan music, and by my own voice.

The piece makes extensive use of an ancient Afghan rhythm in 7/8 called “Mughlai”, and comprises several sections of contrasting character that interrupt each other without warning. This represents the frequent, sudden and often catastrophic changes that characterize Afghan life today, hence my dedication to “My mother, my family and all Afghan refugees who have suffered deeply under Taliban rule. May peace return to our homeland!” 

Willow’s musical score is inseparable from a poem I wrote for my mother and one of my collage paintings featuring a watercolor Afghan landscape, superimposed with Persian style Arabic Calligraphy. 

Milad Yousufi was born in 1995 during the civil war in Afghanistan. At that time the Taliban were ruling Afghanistan, and music was completely banned.  At the age of two he started drawing. He drew the piano keys on paper and pretended to play.

Milad Yousufi is a pianist, composer, conductor, poet, singer, painter and calligrapher. Yousufi’s work is deeply inspired by his country and culture.

When the Taliban rule was lifted after a period of five years, the arts flourished in   Afghanistan, and Yousufi took advantage of every opportunity to learn and study music and art. By the age of 12 he was teaching painting and was able to attend the one and only music school in Kabul. After only three years of formal piano training, Yousufi was one of four students  accepted into a music program in Denmark; He was also chosen to represent Afghanistan at various music festivals in The Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, and Germany.  He placed third in the International Golden Key competition in Frankfort, Germany.

Upon his return to Afghanistan, Yousufi concentrated on teaching piano, theory, and a course of music notation program (Sibelius) at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music.

In 2011 The Afghan Youth Orchestra was formed. Yousufi was the pianist and then became the first Afghan conductor and arranged music for their performances.

In 2013 the Afghan Youth Orchestra made a U.S. tour playing sold-out concerts in Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and New England Conservatory where he performed as a pianist. Upon moving to the United States, Yousufi was awarded a full scholarship to attend Mannes School of Music where he studied with pianist Simone Dinnerstein. 

Yousufi has had the opportunity to compose for The New York Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, premiered at Lincoln Center; Refugee Orchestra Project; Kronos Quartet, premiered in Carnegie Hall; Worcester Music, South High Community School Brass Band; and Terezin Music Foundation, premiered in Boston Symphony Hall. Refugee Orchestra, premiered at the Barbican Center in London. Upcoming commissions include Winsor Music, Trio Solisti, Burncoat High School Orchestra, Pianist Yael Weiss for 32 Bright Clouds: (Beethoven Conversation Around the World) and Worcester Chamber Music Society.

Yousufi has a dream to make a difference in the future of music and culture in Afghanistan.