Sarab Shamoun Finds New Home in Canada and at Place des Arts

Passion and Zest for Life Help Overcome Adversity
Passion for music, for teaching, for life. This exudes effortlessly from Sarab Shamoun, one of our skilled new violin and piano teachers. Sarab lived through some of the most devastating destruction of the Syrian civil war. But upon meeting her, she is a happy and vibrant young lady with a positive outlook and an unwavering hope for the future—qualities that no doubt helped her to overcome the profound effects of war.

Surviving Conflict
A Syrian by birth, after finishing the Diploma in Music Education in 2006, Sarab was studying music at Homs University in Syria and graduated in 2011 when the siege of the city began. Through the bombing, the fire and the terror of this disaster, Sarab managed to complete her bachelor’s degree before leaving Syria 10 months later in search of a new home.

Sarab says, “I was supposed to die three times, but I didn’t! War is a disaster, like cancer or a tsunami. But whenever you have faith in God and love life, you can overcome [anything].”

Starting Over in Lebanon
Sarab’s first home after leaving Syria was Beirut, Lebanon, a city she calls the Vancouver of the Mediterranean because of its similar climate and geographic location by the sea. She stayed in Beirut for four-and-a-half years where she taught piano and violin lessons at an arts education centre much like Place des Arts.

At the same time, Sarab also volunteered at St. Jude Hospital-Children’s Cancer Centre of Lebanon, fighting cancer through music. She says, “It’s hard for the children and their parents, so music helps take their mind off it. I encourage people worldwide to donate to this centre. The treatments are expensive.”

Moving to Canada
While in Beirut, Sarab applied to come to Canada, which she did in December 2017. She chose to make Vancouver her home. Now, she teaches piano and violin lessons at Place des Arts.

For Sarab, music is her life. She says, “My career is my hobby; when I’m happy in my job, I’m happy in life!” Her goal is to be a productive coach by inspiring her students, as she believes that music is able to change lives. “My parents put a lot of effort into helping me become a professional musician,” she says, “so I want them to be proud of me. It is a present I can offer them in exchange for all they have done for me.”

Driven to Share Music
Sarab is determined to build her career as a professional musician and teacher here so she could share her passion for music. She says, “You can’t be a musician if you don’t have humanity in your heart. How can I be a professional musician if I can’t share my passion for music and kindness with others?”

With a teaching philosophy of “Believing, Achieving and Serving,” and a desire to instruct students how to appreciate the positivity in life through music, we’re sure Sarab will achieve her goals.

Welcome Sarab!
We’re delighted to welcome Sarab to Place des Arts and hope she finds her creative home here. We have no doubt she will skillfully guide her students and inspire them with her passionate belief in the power of music.

For more information or to book a trial lesson with Sarab, please call our registration desk at 604.664.1636 ext. 0.