Mosul Music
Heritage Festival

Ein Mann hält die Hand eines Mädchens beim Mosul Music Heritage Festival © Goethe-Institut /Raghed Yousif Bahoo

The Mosul Music Heritage Festival celebrates the cultural and musical diversity of Iraq. It aims to revive the rich musical heritage of Mosul and to showcase the young musical talents of Iraq. During the weeklong festival, the entire city turns into a stage for concerts, jamming sessions, discussions and workshops. Artists from all over the world come together to create music and learn from one another.

Activities

Live concerts, street music, pop-up concerts and panel discussions are at the heart of the Mosul Music Heritage Festival programme. In workshops, discussions and jamming sessions, young and old musicians from all over the world take time to learn from each other. Together they develop concert programmes. The concerts are performed in the parks, streets and historical sites of the city of Mosul.
Together, the musicians take their music to the people of Mosul creating vivid and harmonic atmospheres.

Mehrere Personen spielen Musik in den Straßen Mosuls Goethe-Institut / privat

Background

Mosul's music is a rich tapestry of cultural and historical influences. Over the centuries, a range of styles and genres have developed, each reflecting the experiences and perspectives of its inhabitants. Despite the challenges of war and political instability in recent years, Mosul's musical tradition is alive: Arabic, Kurdish, Yazidi or Turkmen-influenced songs, as well as religious music from Islamic, Sufi or Christian contexts. 
Far from being a dividing factor, the cultural knowledge stored in Mosul's music is an opportunity to create new harmonies together, transcending the borders of current cultural fragmentation.
The Festival celebrates cultural diversity through music, bringing together European and Iraqi musicians.  

Musiker*innen der jezidischen Mirzo-Band auf der Bühne Goethe-Institut / Raghed Yousif

Aims of the festival

The festival is a place of intercultural exchange through the language of music. The diverse musical heritage of Mosul and Iraq, as well as the musical knowledge brought from Europe, are mixed creating new sounds of togetherness.
The Festival also focuses on supporting young talent through learning and networking opportunities. Each year the Othman Al Mawsili Award is presented to the festival's most promising up-and-coming musician. 

Blick aus dem Publikum auf die Bühne während des Mosul Music Heritage Festivals Goethe-Institut / Raghed Yousif