I was standing in the balcony smelling the fresh air of Egypt. “The warmth of Egypt’s sun is breathtaking; my skin can’t get enough of it” I thought to myself. About 12 hours ago I was in the United States boarding an airplane and look where I am now! It’s amazing how we could just be in one place and be in another place that has a different culture and speaks a different language within hours. As the sun was beaming on my skin I wondered how I was going to spend my summer break in Egypt.
In a month or so of my stay in Egypt I decided that I wanted to go see a concert for my favorite composer and pianist, Omar Khairat. He was born in a family of musicians. His Uncle Abu Bakar Khairat established The Egyptian Conservatory Institution, which was a big revolution in the Egyptian music. Omar Khairat, influenced by his uncle’s love for music, went on to study piano and musical theory in The Conservatory Institution. After graduating from the institution he continued his studies at the Trinity College of Music in London. When he came back to Egypt he composed music for the media and Egyptian ballet. His love for classical music is reflected in his elegant musical rhythms. He truly is one of my role models. Omar Khairat was known for performing in the Cairo Opera House. Therefore, I called the Central Operator Information (phone number: 142), and requested the phone number for the Cairo Opera House. I gave my mother the phone number and she called and asked if he was performing during the summer. They told her Omar Khairat was performing in about three weeks and that we need to reserve our spot ASAP. From there we decided to give the cost of the tickets to our neighbor that will be visiting her family in Cairo shortly, to buy our tickets. When our neighbor returned with the tickets in her hands I was on cloud nine. For me just imagining myself sitting in the same concert hall as Omar Khairat was fascinating!
On Friday July 10 2009, I prepared for one of the best evenings of my life. My uncle arrived at our house to take my mother and me to Cairo. As we drove out of the Tenth of Ramadan, one of Egypt’s newest cities, the anticipation was building in me. Due to traffic, it took us more time to get to the Opera House than we expected. Unfortunately we were a little late to the concert. As a result we had to run to the main entrance before it closed. After the maintenance checked my uncle, my mother, and I for security we were escorted to the main concert hall. The guard held the doors for me to enter. I walked quickly to my reserved seat not waiting for my mother or uncle. I sat down and listened and watched. It was like a dream come true, seeing my idol on stage behind his piano. I have heard this music a hundred times before, but it was like my perception was different this time. I rested my chin on the concert’s balcony railing, not taking my eyes off of my role model. As the lights on stage changed and the percussion started to rattle their instruments, I leaned on the back of my seat. I wanted to stop that moment in time and just stay in this concert hall for the longest time possible with no disruptions. This instant was unforgettable. This was a dream come true.
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