At the Mural Hall in Parliament House, Mark Antonio Bonja lived out a moment he had only dreamed off.
He was the headline performance for World Refugee Day, playing to an audience that included the immigration minister.
He says his debut was a world away from the war his family left behind.
"This means a lot to me. I've been waiting a long time for this day, ever since I was invited to play. To be honest, I am very happy right now. Canberra! It's a dream for anyone to come to Canberra like this. I thank the Australian government, because it is helping us. It is helping out the Syrian refugees a lot."
Mark Bonja comes from the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo.
He fled to Lebanon in 2014, lived there for two years, and, now, he and his family live in Australia on humanitarian visas.
He says terrorists bombed his old piano and, for two years, he could not play a note.
"Particularly with the shellings and bombings, and people dying ... of course, it's hard for others to understand. But if I describe what happened more, then they can understand more."
Mark Bonja's debut prompted some of his fellow Sydney refugees to take a bus to Canberra in support.
More than 60 families arrived in the morning.
One of the refugees, Rim Fahad, says sharing in Mark Bonja's success gives them hope for their future lives in Australia.
"Of course, the conditions are very beautiful here, especially for the kids. And as long as you have tenacity, you can continue on in this country and reach your goals."
Fellow refugee Bashar Issa says he agrees.
"That's the main point here, that you can, at any moment, find and follow whatever you want, whatever you dream to do, whether study or work."
Along with his performance, Mark Bonja was asked to deliver a speech.
He surprised everyone by managing to deliver it in English.
"It wasn't just people who died in the war. The dreams of many people died, too. I was one of these people. Terrorists blew up my piano, we were nearly killed many times."
Also sharing their stories in Canberra were members of the newly settled Yazidi community from the New South Wales city of Wagga Wagga.
Refugee Shireen Arab Ali Mato said many of her relatives were killed or trafficked by IS when it moved in.
She says Australia has given her hope again.
"I feel like a human again in Australia. I thank the government. They respect us, they invite us to live here, and I feel very grateful to be able to share my story."
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says he was grateful to hear both her story and Mark Bonja's.
"The various communities represented here today, and around the country otherwise who have made Australia their new home, should be rightly proud. The smiling faces of the children are a testament to your resilience and your determination to build a successful new life."
Mark Bonja says he hopes to win a music scholarship to continue his studies.
But for now, he says, he is just enjoying the moment and appreciating the support from his family and his community.
"Of course, they have motivated me greatly, not only to come here but to relax and enjoy this moment. To be honest, I don't know what's next. But I am very pumped for what's next."
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