The Naghash Ensemble Armenia

Nouruz Ensemble

Nouruz is the New Year’s and spring festival in the Persian and Kurdish cultures. The Nouruz Ensemble led by Iraqi Bassem Hawar also understands »spring« as a departure – towards exciting encounters between the musicians and their second home in Germany, and with other musical styles. In this concert, however, they focus entirely on their roots. A musical journey takes the ensemble from Basra in southern Iraq to Mosul in the north. They perform pieces from the southern marshlands and poetry set to music by Iraqi Assyrians and Arameans from northern Iraq, as well as classical Arabic maqam music from the area around Baghdad and all over the country. Bassem Hawar is a virtuoso on the Iraqi joza violin, which he built and developed himself; he founded the Nouruz Ensemble as a quartet in 2018. He combines a wide variety of musical styles with virtuosity, and is a tireless ambassador for the music of his homeland. Hawar is joined by the Iranian Kiomars Musayyebi on the delicate dulcimer santur and Saad Mahmoud Jawad, one of Iraq’s most renowned oud players. Other members of Nouruz are Persian percussionist Reza Samani, who has long had his roots in the Cologne area, and the Iraqi Rageed William on Armenia’s national instrument, the melancholy-sounding shawm duduk and the smoky-sounding flute nai. The guest vocalist is Baghdad-born Rita William, who works at the interface between Christian and Arabic singing.

Ensemble NIGHT

The landscape of Nepal stretches from tropical plains to the icy, sublime peaks of the Himalayas. Its music possesses a similarly exciting diversity. The Ensemble NIGHT brings out these hidden treasures located between rural folklore, Indian echoes and spiritual colouring. The quintet was formed in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu in 2006 by singer and multi-instrumentalist Jason Kunwar. After an initial phase as a metal band, the musicians decided to explore and preserve the cultural cosmos of the country’s more than 100 ethnic groups and languages. Accompanied by intensive field research trips to remote villages, they have developed a repertoire in which old songs and almost lost instruments come back into play. These include the paluwa flute made from fresh leaves, the three-stringed sarangi covered with sheepskin, and the Tamang stringed instrument known as the tungna. The ensemble also writes new songs based on its deep understanding of traditional music. This »new school folk« tells of spirituality as well as depicting the hardships of life in the countryside. The ensemble also documents its work on film – giving Nepal an opportunity to pass on its exciting heritage to future generations and to the world at large.

Liedstadt & Ensemble Resonanz

Mais Harb, Hêja Netirk and Julian Prégardien - three first-class singers share their favorite songs and reinterpret them together with the musicians of Ensemble Resonanz and guests. Experimental Kurdish music by Hêja Netirk meets Franz Schubert sung by Julian Prégardien. Mais Harb's Arabic songs resound with a fresh string sound. Melodies from Germany, Kurdistan, Syria, Austria and Iran combine with the support of the children's choir of the Al-Farabi Music Academy to create a genuine Berlin song recital.

Adnan Karim & Hezaravaz Ensemble

Adnan Karim is one of the foremost traditional Kurdish singers of our time. His music is deeply rooted in Kurdish culture with inspiration from classical nineteenth-century poetry, incorporating themes of love, philosophy and hardships faced by the Kurdish people.With a deeply personal style, Karim combines traditional melodies with modern elements, creating a unique and authentic musical experience. By singing in different Kurdish dialects, he aims to build a musical bridge to bring together the divided Kurdish people.Joining him on stage is the Hezaravaz Band, which has roots in Kurdish and Persian music and combines traditional instruments such as the tar, daf and santur with modern features. Together with Adnan Karim, they create a beautiful and deeply moving fusion of Kurdish and Persian music. Come experience this unforgettable journey through the musical landscapes of two cultures, in which every note and melody tells a story of identity, love and the fight for freedom.

The Rise / Ictus Ensemble

What would happen if humanity could pass through the gateway to the underworld and restart once again in another realm? Eva Reiter’s experimental opera »The Rise«, written on the basis of poems by the Nobel Prize Winner for Literature Louise Glück and staged by choreographer Michiel Vandeveldes, acts out this vision. Deaf actor Ruben Grandits, whose gestures are converted into intoxicating sounds via sensors on his hands, acts in the spotlight. As master of ceremonies, he directs the other people on the stage with his gestures and sounds. A new language, a new company and a new music emerge in the interaction of instruments specifically built for this purpose, electronically transformed sounds and the movements of the performers. The specially designed instruments visually transform movement into sounds. Music, dance and language merge into image and sound – »The Rise« is, consequently, equally accessible to deaf and hearing people.

The Rise / Ictus Ensemble

What would happen if humanity could pass through the gateway to the underworld and restart once again in another realm? Eva Reiter’s experimental opera »The Rise«, written on the basis of poems by the Nobel Prize Winner for Literature Louise Glück and staged by choreographer Michiel Vandeveldes, acts out this vision. Deaf actor Ruben Grandits, whose gestures are converted into intoxicating sounds via sensors on his hands, acts in the spotlight. As master of ceremonies, he directs the other people on the stage with his gestures and sounds. A new language, a new company and a new music emerge in the interaction of instruments specifically built for this purpose, electronically transformed sounds and the movements of the performers. The specially designed instruments visually transform movement into sounds. Music, dance and language merge into image and sound – »The Rise« is, consequently, equally accessible to deaf and hearing people.

Adnan Karim and Hezaravaz Ensemble

Following his success in October 2024, when Adnan Karim had the audience spellbound at a sold-out performance, he now returns to Stockholm with a new show. This time he presents a captivating journey of love, filled with deeply moving music and poetry.Adnan Karim, who is among the most prominent traditional Kurdish singers, depicts the many dimensions of love with musical elegance that is simultaneously modern and timeless. His music is deeply rooted in Kurdish culture and inspired by classical poetry, weaving themes of love, philosophy and history into every melody.He is led on stage by the Hezaravaz Ensemble and the brilliant composer Azad Mirzapour. Together, they create a fusion of traditional Kurdish and Persian melodies with a modern flair, and use instruments such as the oud, tar and santur to present a unique experience.Join us for this unforgettable evening and experience music that touches both heart and soul.

'Jangi' Folklore Ensemble

Buganda Music Ensemble

Court music comes to the Elbphilharmonie. The Buganda Music Ensemble comes from the Kingdom of Buganda, which was founded in the 14th century. The territory of the pre-colonial state lies in eastern Africa, in what is now the modern state of Uganda. The ensemble is led by Albert Bisaso Ssempeke, a renowned virtuoso on the ennanga arched harp and the endongo bowl lyre. Another of the formation’s key instruments is the amadinda, a bulky xylophone-like instrument that is played by three musicians at the same time and that boasts an incredible power. European art music composers such as John Cage and György Ligeti have also been inspired by the polyrhythm and microtonality of Bugandan music. How exactly the ancient composers of Buganda developed their compositions is still a mystery, but it is known that they composed on the ennanga arched harp. Various drums also belong to the Buganda Music Ensemble, whose complex melodic and rhythmic patterns produce fascinating effects and tonal illusions that gradually intensify into a mesmerising ritualistic sound. As is often the case in traditional African music, this is also a magical dialogue with the spirits of the ancestors.