Shalan was, from a very young age, drawn to music, imitating his father’s oud posture with everyday objects and turning domestic spaces into performance before eventually receiving his own child-sized oud; at fourteen, he shifted to the violin, quietly reorienting his musical path.
He trained in both Western classical and Arabic music at the Damascus Conservatory and later earned a Master’s degree in Turkish music from Codarts University of the Arts in Rotterdam, while also integrating Brazilian music into his practice as a parallel language rather than merely an influence.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Damascus University (2006), though his career as a pharmacist lasted exactly one day, after which he made a decisive turn toward art.
His compositions have been commissioned by international orchestras such as the WDR Radio Orchestra and Kammersymphonie Berlin, and he writes for ensembles, film, and television.
He initiates and develops ensembles including the Homs String Sextet, Jiraan Ensemble, and Picea Orientalis String Orchestra, and performs in projects such as Damast Duo, Carpa Trio, Saidiera Collective, and Hoort Mi Aen, where collaboration is central.
He is regularly invited as an expert and commentator at the Queen Elisabeth Competition and has performed with the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra, the National Orchestra of Arabic Music, and the Damascus Chamber Orchestra.
In his visual art practice, he works across photography, mixed media, new media, and sound, exploring dialogue, proximity, and interruption, often inviting audiences into the work itself and dissolving the distance between viewer and object; his installations emphasize interaction, play, and attentive fragility, engaging diverse audiences including children and adults, deaf and blind visitors, and people with migrant backgrounds.