A Dream Fulfilled

For years he played the piano just a stone’s throw away, yet the distance between Rotterdam’s Central Plaza shopping center and the Great Hall of De Doelen always felt impossibly vast for young Iranian musician Farid Sheek.

Recently arrived in the Netherlands after fleeing Iran—where he had studied at the conservatory—Farid was simply grateful to have access to a piano. In the shopping center, he played his own compositions: melancholic pieces full of longing and passion, which somehow still managed to uplift listeners. In Sheek’s melancholy, there is beauty.

That winter, a journalist from the national newspaper Algemeen Dagblad happened to hear him play. His life story was published soon after, including his heartfelt wish: one day, to perform at De Doelen. It was his dream.

In 2018, that dream came true—more than once. Earlier that spring, Farid was invited to play a short opening set in the Great Hall, ahead of a regional orchestra’s concert. It was an unforgettable moment, a prelude to the real milestone on October 13.

That evening, Farid Sheek, together with Russian-born cellist Maya Fridman, gave a full-length concert in the hall of his dreams. It was a special night—not only for Farid and Maya, but also for the audience, who were privileged to witness a dream, cherished for years, finally fulfilled.