Mosul heritage music festival celebrates cultural diversity

MOSUL, September 21 — The Mosul Heritage Music Festival, organized by the Goethe-Institut in cooperation with the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, UNESCO, and various cultural organizations, continues for its third day at the Heritage House venue.

On the first day, the festival featured performances by the Mirzo band from Sinjar, presenting traditional musical compositions from the Sinjar region and other areas of Iraq. The second day included music from multiple artists including the Reem Brant Trio from the Netherlands, Nina from Al-Hamdaniya, and Bach from Germany.

Today, Maestro Alaa Majeed and his ensemble, comprising 13 musicians from Baghdad, six maqam experts from Mosul, Duhok, and Erbil, and seven artists from the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Spain, are presenting a special evening in Al-Shuhada Park.

The fourth day of the festival will feature a performance by the Trio Marias from France, playing the Georgina Maqam at the Volunteer with Us Foundation courtyard. The festival will conclude its activities on the fifth day with an evening of Mosul heritage songs by Alaa’ Majeed’s band and a performance by the Spanish Sevilla Guitar ensemble.

The festival, with participation from seven musical groups representing Iraq, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, aims to revive Mosul’s musical heritage and bring Iraqi and international artists together to celebrate the cultural legacy of Mosul and Iraq.

Anais Boelicke, Director of the Goethe-Institut in Iraq, stated that the festival’s goal is to revive the musical and artistic heritage of Mosul and Iraq while promoting cultural diversity and unity through the collaboration of Iraqi and international artists. The festival showcases the unique blend of talent and cultural diversity present in the performances, with over 30 musicians from various nationalities and backgrounds coming together to create a harmonious tapestry of traditional music.