Sometimes, pianist Zade Dirani isn’t sure about his fame. 

“After a while, more money isn’t going to do the trick,” he said. “And I definitely don’t like getting recognized. So, you start asking yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’”

He’s “doing this” out of his love of music. As every show begins, he sits at the piano, closes his eyes, and lets the melody take over. 

“It’s complete and utter abandon,” he said. “I just disconnect. And somehow the audience feels that. It’s calming. It’s therapeutic. People feed off your energy.”

The 46-year-old pianist is bringing the energy with an orchestra to the Mesa Arts Center’s Tom and Janet Ikeda Theater at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16.

“I love curating these shows because I like to take the audience on a journey through nostalgia — familiar songs and songs from different parts of the world.

“I want to give people something familiar, but I also want to pull them into my world. It’s a fine balance. I don’t want to be a jukebox.”

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Melody is the common thread of performing Italian, French and Lebanese songs, blended with movie soundtracks.

Dirani has been composing for piano and orchestra at the age of 13. His first concert, six years later, was held at the Amman Citadel’s Great Temple. He was accompanied by the National Music Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, founded by Queen Noor, with which he studied. 

He moved to the United States in 1988 to study at Santa Clara University in California, and later at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, majoring in music composition and business and management. 

His skills have helped him perform at Carnegie Hall and Boston’s Symphony Hall, and for Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth II, the Dalai Lama and King Abdullah II.

Dirani credited part of his musical evolution to legendary producer David Foster, with whom he spent two years in the studio early in his career. 

“He’s so good at that fine balance — doing just enough so it’s not overdone, yet every detail has a purpose,” Dirani said. “Simplicity is elegance. It’s not about how many notes; it’s about the right notes.”

When he began touring the United States, he performed in nontraditional venues like guest houses, churches and synagogues and homes. 

“It never ceases to amaze me,” he said. “You hear the first few notes of a song you love, and suddenly you’re transported — to a person, a moment, a feeling. It’s as close as we can get to time travel.”

Dirani will release “The Music Played,” an album of Mediterranean love songs, on Oct. 15. This coincides with the 20‑year anniversary of his Billboard‑charting debut, “Zade.”

He may live in Spain, but he’s smitten with the United States. He moved to the States at the age of 18, earned his green card based on his music, and eventually became a dual citizen. 

He has vowed to do his part to improve the world via the Zade Foundation for International Peace and Understanding, which speaks for him.

Founded in 2005, the organization helps young musicians share a deeper understanding of their cultures with the world by offering them opportunities to expand their roles from musicians to proactive peacebuilders and future community leaders.

As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa, Dirani has used music as a therapeutic tool for children caught in violence, conflict and poverty.

“I do wish more Americans knew how good America is,” he said. “Anyone can come here and follow their dreams. You only appreciate it once you’ve lived in other places.”