Support Layan Hawila's Musical Journey at Berklee

I am Layan Hawila, a 19-year-old dedicated musician and vocalist specializing in the Oud.

I write to you as a Palestinian from the city of Haifa who has been honored with acceptance into the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, United States for undergraduate studies in Music Therapy and Performance. My journey in music, spanning over a decade, is driven by a passion to excel and a commitment to cultural exchange and understanding. My goal is to raise funds for my college tuition and accommodation.

Your support would not only facilitate my academic and professional development but also contribute to a larger mission of fostering intercultural dialogue and understanding through music. I aspire to further refine my artistry and advocate for the Oud as a symbol of feminine empowerment and cultural bridge-building in a society where choosing a career in music, especially as a woman, defies convention.

My commitment to using music as a tool for social cohesion, particularly in the complex tapestry of Israeli and Palestinian identities, underscores the urgency and importance of my pursuit. The financial burden of tuition fees, however, poses a significant obstacle to realizing this dream.

Please take a moment to read my story below.

My story:

I grew up in a family that loves music. I was inspired to pursue a career in music by some of the most famous artists in the Arab world Artists like Fairouz, Umm Kalthoum and Asmahan have been my Idols since childhood, as women in the Arabic music industry they were born fighters, that is also the way I perceive myself.

As a child listening to early 20th century Tarab music that is considered high level, the kind of music adults listen to, made me feel different and made my connection with my parents stronger, their ongoing support and their constant motivation on how music is a necessity in life had a huge impact on my life choices..

At the age of eight years old after learning the piano for a year I decided that I wanted to learn how to play the Oud I remember vividly that I was in the car with my parents and Fairouz's song "Oudak Ranan" was playing on the radio and It translates to "your Oud is resonant", I told my parents that I want to play the Oud and a week later I went to my first lesson and from that moment on I have always wanted to be a famous Oud player and singer.

Today I am nineteen years old, the world is a bit different. At the age of "becoming", I see shades of grey, not everything is colorful as it was through a child's eyes. That dream of becoming a famous Oud player is alive and present, it is a dream that will most probably endure hardships before it becomes a reality. As a Palestinian Woman, playing the Oud in my community is not common practice and it was a challenging to gain respect as a female performer on stage and behind it. My experience taught me that respect is always earned.

Living and working amongst Israelis that I don’t necessarily agree with on political principles regarding the occupation. Feeling, hearing, and enduring the hate that is directed towards the Palestinian minority in Israel by the right-wing government is not easily tolerated.

Taking part in Hands of Peace in 2022 as a teenager, a dialogue program bringing together Palestinians and Israelis helped me process this reality and empowered me to surpass the obstacles and challenges by a system that is designed to push people like me down. Sharing a stage with my wonderful Jewish sister and peace activist Yael Deckelbaum, performing her peace song "Prayer Of The Mothers" at the largest peace demonstration in Tel Aviv, gives me hope for a better future.

It became normal for me to deal with barriers in my path both political, societal. I am learning how to navigate these obstacles and situations while focusing on achieving my dream.

I want to travel the world and introduce different cultures to Arabic music and the Oud. I want to major in Music Therapy and learn the science of how music can heal the mind, body, and soul. I aspire to earn a PHD and be the best at what I do. I want to learn how to help people through music and share with people the way music helped and still helps me be a better person.

I aspire to become a Music Therapist and a well-known Oud player and performer. In all honesty, my dream is to be among the women Oud players who achieved excellence. I know there aren’t many famous women who play the Oud, and I would like to be counted as one!

If you are wondering why I am going through all this trouble to study at Berklee, it's not only because I think studying abroad will bring greater opportunities and exposure for me as an artist especially when I come back to live and work in my homeland. It is because studying at Berklee with the famous and honorable virtuosic Oud player and violinist Simon Shaheen is equivalent to achieving the dream, aiming the highest, getting accepted means that I am among the best at what I do and that the future of my musical career will be promising.

There is a quote that I have on a magnet on my mirror that says "If your dreams don’t scare you they aren’t big enough" and honestly I made sure that my dreams terrify me, because that is the reason I wake up in the morning, and it is the exact reason why I fight for my dreams, because every day I am closer to achieving them. Studying at Berklee is an important step in that ladder. It is either take the risk or lose the opportunity. And I prefer taking risks, putting myself out there, with hope and positivity and fighting until I reach my dream at the top of the ladder.

I got accepted! Berklee College of Music, one of the top music institutions in the world! The joy of this achievement is beyond words. Along with my acceptance, I’ve been awarded an annual merit based scholarship of $17,000 for the next four years. I’m incredibly grateful, but this kind of scholarship only covers about 20% of the total estimated annual cost of $82,302. Given Berklee's selective 54% acceptance rate and a graduation rate of 64%, securing enough funding to complete my degree is absolutely essential.

While your generous donations helped me through my first two semesters, I’m now facing a challenge—unfortunately, I currently have no remaining funds to cover my third semester. Your continued support will make all the difference in helping me stay on track toward completing my education.

Costs breakdown:

This is the cost breakdown on the Berklee College of Music website.

Berklee Tuition and Costs 2025-2026

What is still yet not covered is estimated at: $55,000

Which refers to:

1. The rest of the tuition fees after the $17,000 scholarship

2. Off-campus housing and food

3. Health Insurance and books

5. Plane tickets, transportation and pocket money

What you can help with:

My primary goal is to ensure that the cost of $55,000 is covered for my third semester, so that in my future semesters I can apply for other types of scholarships I can get from Berklee, sadly they do not allow an increase of scholarship under any circumstances.

This support is crucial to ease my parent's financial burden (my father is 64 on pension) and allow me to focus on academic and artistic pursuits without the weight of insurmountable debt.

That is why I kindly ask of you dear readers to support my dream and help me achieve it.

Your support will ensure that every dollar directly funds my education and aids me in building my life and my career. Your generosity will truly make a difference in my journey towards a brighter future, I will forever be grateful for your contribution.

Many thanks,

Layan Hawila