The Edward Saïd Conservatory, once a center for music education in Gaza, was severely damaged during the recent war. Despite the destruction of the building, the loss of musical instruments, and the tragic deaths of some students, teachers continue to teach and students continue to learn. Now, lessons are held under tents in the ruins of the city, where the lack of resources has made musical practice challenging. Many instruments are either broken or nearly impossible to replace, yet the spirit of music remains strong. In the midst of the devastation, music can still be heard coming from the windows of a dilapidated house. Sama, a student, plays the violin, while another student plays the oud, a traditional string instrument common in the region. Sama recalls the early days of the war, when her instrument was damaged and had only three strings. “I couldn’t practice properly,” she says. “But I kept going with just three strings. I sent a bicycle brake cable to my teacher, Ahmed Abu Amsha, who fixed my violin so I could continue playing.” Ahmed Abu Amsha, a teacher at the conservatory, composed a song called "La chanson des drones" (The Drone Song) about a year ago. The piece, which has resonated with people beyond Gaza, features children singing over the sounds of Israeli surveillance drones. “The goal was simple: we needed to change reality, to turn something bad into something beautiful,” Abu Amsha explains. He gathered his students, asked them to sing, and recorded a video that went viral on Instagram. “The children loved it,” he says. “I wanted to combine the noise of the war with their voices to create something beautiful. Now, they’re not as afraid of the sound of drones.” Despite the ongoing conflict, the teachers and students of the conservatory have remained resilient. Many have been displaced multiple times, and classes now take place in tents among the rubble. Yet, through music, they continue to find ways to express their emotions, resist the despair of war, and hold onto a sense of normalcy and hope.