• Public speaking helped Daleen to be more confident and comfortable to perform in front of an audience, especially in some of Riyadh Season’s zones

Lojien Ben Gassem, Riyadh

Coming from a musical family, young Saudi pianist Daleen Khalid wanted to be part of the artistic talents that her household is full of.

The 15-year-old’s father is an artist who plays several instruments, such as the oud, violin and keyboard.

“I grew up listening to music in different ways. Recently I found myself on the piano playing classical music and I decided to teach myself since that moment,” she said.

The self-taught pianist started playing just 11 months ago.

Apart from playing music, Daleen is also interested in public speaking, giving presentations, swimming, cycling and drawing.

“I’m an active person and I always like to experience new things in life,” she said.

Daleen’s family, especially her parents, was supportive of her musical dream and helped her pursue it.

She said that there is no period of time that a person has to spend to become a professional pianist. “Anyone can be a professional depending on their skills and expertise.”

The young talent, who says she is “still in the learning journey,” aspires to become a professional pianist in the future.

Her goal from playing the piano is to get her message out to the community. “Classical music can still be played and enjoyed by young generations as well.”

Public speaking helped Daleen to be more confident and comfortable to perform in front of an audience, especially in some of Riyadh Season’s zones. “Of course I get nervous sometimes.”

Daleen started playing in public before the Riyadh Season. She first started going to cafes and restaurants that have a piano open to the public.

She said that Riyadh Season opened a great window of opportunities for her to grow as a pianist.

“Nabd Al-Riyadh was my first zone to perform and then I moved to different zones,” she said.

Daleen was overwhelmed by the positive reactions to her performance in the season. “They were very supportive. Every single time I play the piano, people seem to be enjoying my performance and the music I pick.”

She finds it difficult to choose her favorite pianist. “I could never say who my favorite pianist is, it’s too hard to choose because every single pianist has their own way to express their emotions and feelings,” she said.

She told Arab News that she would like to be part of all future Saudi seasons, and that she is open to any opportunities.