{"id":42477,"date":"2019-05-25T15:16:36","date_gmt":"2019-05-25T15:16:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/05\/25\/rising-young-afghan-pianist-wants-world-to-see-a-different-side-of-his-country\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:57:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:57:05","slug":"rising-young-afghan-pianist-wants-world-to-see-a-different-side-of-his-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/military-honor\/2019\/05\/25\/rising-young-afghan-pianist-wants-world-to-see-a-different-side-of-his-country\/","title":{"rendered":"Rising young Afghan pianist wants world to see a different side of his country"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Elham Fanous, a gifted young Afghan pianist, will graduate soon with a bachelor of music degree from the City University of New York\u2019s Hunter College. And he wants all American service members, especially those who served in Afghanistan, to know this: You made it possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 22-year-old Kabul native, who hopes to continue his studies in the fall at the Manhattan School of Music, said he had often thought about how thankful he is for the U.S. intervention in his country, which ended the Taliban\u2019s rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then a Tennessee veteran of the war in Afghanistan, who had learned about the young Afghan pianist through a mutual friend, contacted him via email. They chatted about Fanous\u2019s musical career, the war in his home country, what the veteran did in Afghanistan and what he is doing now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe was very interested and said he comes to New York City sometimes and asked if we could meet and chat,\u201d Fanous said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t