Fady Deeb comes to NSUMC from Israel via SUNY Stony Brook where he is in the fifth year of his doctoral program in the piano under the direction of Gilbert Kalish.

Former Director of Music Stephen Gamboa recommended Fady. “Stephen’s recommendation got Fady an interview with the Staff Parish Relations (SPR) team,” said team leader Linda Orth. “He did the rest on his own.”

“After the talking part of the interview, we asked if he would play something for us,” recalled SPR team member Donna Eddy. “We all went into the sanctuary, he sat at the piano and began to play. His playing was so beautiful and peaceful. We let him continue for 20-30 minutes.”

Since early 2014 the Middle Island Presbyterian Church employed Fady as their organist.  “A friend of mine from Stony Brook has replaced me there,” he said with a smile. “As long as Stony Brook is near, there will always be talented musicians looking for work.”

Of his own specialty, piano, Fady explained that Stony Brook is one of the top schools in the country, specifically because of Kalish. “I came to the United States just to study with Gil. When I was still at the Jerusalem Academy, I came to NYU in 2008 for one semester as an exchange student. During that time I interviewed with Gil.

“Gil is famous as both a performer and a teacher. I knew I wanted to study with him. Many of the most important American composers of the 20^th century have dedicated pieces to Gil. In the music field everyone knows who he is.”

Fady himself is far from an unknown pianist in the music world. A quick Google search revealed that he is a featured soloist in Stony Brook’s Piano Project; with the Palestine Youth Orchestra, playing Tchaikovsky’s piano concerto No. 1, “the most famous of all piano concertos;” with the Palestinian National Orchestra at the annual pre-Christmas Concert for Life and Peace in Bethlehem, where he is described as “virtuoso pianist Fady Deeb.” From Google and YouTube, we learn that Fady is also a featured accompanist for violinists, cellists, and others.   

Fady was born in Israel, but his family is Palestinian. “I am an Israeli citizen, I have an Israeli passport, I speak Hebrew almost as well as Arabic; my culture is Palestinian or Arabic — all the traditions of my family, the food I like, the music I grew up with, everything. I do not identify myself as Israeli by culture, but as Palestinian.  I lived most of my life in Nazareth where my father’s family is from. My family happens to be Christian, which makes me a double minority, my culture and my religion.

“My grandfather attended church often, but my mother did not, so I rarely went to church when I was growing up. Ironically, I didn’t really start attending church regularly until I came to the United States and began working in Christian churches. It’s been helpful to say I’m from Nazareth,” Fady laughed.

Fady began playing the piano when he was four or five years old. He played by ear, imitating what he heard.  “Music was always in our home; my father was a singer for weddings or other occasions. I had my first teacher when I was nine and another when I was 16. I wasn’t serious about playing until I was 18, when I began working with my mentor and greatest teacher before now, Eitan Globerson. I studied with him at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.

Fady directed his first choir rehearsal on August 28 and played organ and piano for the August 31 service. “Obviously I am most comfortable with the piano; I am working on the organ, but the piano is my comfort zone. I enjoyed the first rehearsal. The people are very nice and easy to work with.  This is my first time directing a choir, so it will be an adventure together.”

Practicing six or more hours each day does not leave Fady much time for other interests. “I like to play soccer when I can, I like reading history but I have little time for reading now. I like to eat good food too. Most days I do very little besides practice and teach my students.  There are so many pieces to learn. It just doesn’t stop, but I like it because I am still learning. I’m definitely still learning.”