An intercultural music project featuring Raed Koshaba and classical musicians
In the intercultural music project “Oud & Chamber Orchestra,” a small orchestra collaborates with composer and oud player Raed Khoshaba from Iraq. The result is a fascinating soundscape: musicians of Western and Eastern styles come together in a chamber concert for strings and oud. Raed Khoshaba views his music as a message to be shared with the world. It is a bridge that can bring East and West together. It presents a different image of his homeland—far removed from war and destruction. Since its founding, the Orchestra’s musicians have also used classical music as a vehicle to bring social issues to the forefront. Together with Raed Khoshaba, they create a musical connection that transcends all boundaries. Differences come together and develop a new musical language that speaks of home and belonging. The poet and actor N.N. gives voice to the musicians’ longing for a peaceful and harmonious coexistence of cultures. He recites texts and poems about human relationships, love, and suffering in Arabic and German, thereby fostering a sense of connection between the music and the audience. Contributions to intercultural projects such as the founding of the Oud School in Essen in 2016—which now has dozens of participants—are driven by the conviction that music is a unifying language and a vital means of expression for society. Additionally, concerts and workshops with refugees in their shelters have served as symbolic bridges between cultures and religions. Encounter, exchange, and mediation form the artistic and musical focus of al Oud & Chamber Orchestra. An Iraqi musician meets German and musicians of other nationalities; different styles of playing the instrument, approaches to interpretation, and concepts of sound from Eastern and Western cultures rub against one another, find common ground, complement each other, and inspire one another. The significance of this project lies in the fact that an audience with a strong affinity for classical music will be immersed in the world of Eastern rhythms and sounds and will be able to appreciate and enjoy the fruits of an intensive and professional collaboration among the diverse artists.
some of the works