Spreading joy after darkness
Watar Orchestra captivates more than 1,200 at Mosul university
MOSUL — The Watar Orchestra held a musical concert at the University of Mosul, drawing a crowd of over 1,200. Fifty musicians performed a blend of Mosuli and Baghdadi songs, along with Egyptian pieces that included Omar Khairat’s The Night Fatima Was Arrested. The event also showcased new additions to the ensemble’s lineup, featuring the rababa and the daf.
The rababa is a traditional string instrument common in Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian music, typically equipped with one or two strings and played with a bow. The daf is a large frame drum frequently used in Middle Eastern music.
Orchestra leader Mohammed Mahmoud told 964media that the concert brought together a significant number of musicians and choristers after six months of training. He added that future performances are planned in Baghdad, Sulaymaniyah, Salah Al-Din, and Ramadi, where they intend to introduce instruments such as the guitar, flute, and clarinet.
Musician Orhan Al-Bayati described playing for Mosul’s audience as both an honor and a duty, saying, “We are spreading joy after a period of darkness in the city, bringing the artistic heritage of Othman Al-Mosuli and Zaki Ibrahim to the people, alongside Egyptian music.”
Cellist Ema Marwan noted the audience’s enthusiastic reception. “We performed pieces by Abdel Halim Hafez and Umm Kulthum. At first, there is stage fright, but it fades as the performance continues,” she said.
Mosul resident Marwan Shamoun, who has attended the orchestra’s concerts for four years, reflected on the uplifting atmosphere. “We witnessed the audience’s warm interaction with the orchestra’s performances, and the music takes us to an atmosphere that makes us feel safe,” he said.