A saxophonist near the Israel border chose to make music as missiles flew overhead
Saxophonist Alain Otayek performed amidst missile strikes in Lebanon, capturing a moment of unexpected resilience and the therapeutic power of music during chaos.
Image: Alain Otayek Facebook
Making music not war was the mission of saxophonist Alain Otayek who perched himself on a rooftop in Lebanon, instead of taking cover from the missiles that were flying through the sky.
Otayek chose to block out the fear and harrowing whooshing sounds of the projectiles with soothing tones of his instrument.
He was performing at a party for guests at an undisclosed address in Lebanon at the time.
A video capturing this moment has gone viral on social media.
With missiles soaring through the sky, Otayek was seen performing his smooth saxophone melodies against the backdrop of a vibrant rooftop party.
In an interview shared on TikTok, Otayek described the instant he noticed the change in atmosphere - how even the festive party vibe shifted as attendees pulled out their phones to capture the extraordinary and terrifying sight above.
'Suddenly, I felt the vibration change as if people were suddenly on edge,' he recounted. 'I looked up and saw the missiles - I thought they were aliens coming after us or something.'
Yet, despite the fear, Otayek felt compelled to respond with his music.
'I definitely knew that they were missiles. I mean, we spent our whole lives with missiles in Lebanon. At this point, I felt that I must share what's inside me,' he added, reminiscing about the therapeutic power of music.
'A saxophone is a very sensitive instrument, so you can bring out everything you feel inside. I just kept playing, giving out this feeling of peace.'
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Reactions on social media have varied widely, showcasing a mixture of awe and dark humour stemming from the incident.
Comments ranged from comparisons to the band that played as the Titanic sank, to reflections on whether Otayek should update his résumé to include 'dodging missiles.'
'Music never dies - especially when it comes to soundtracking the end of the world,' read one comment.
However, the context surrounding Otayek's performance was steeped in real geopolitical tensions.
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