Among the marvellous soloists were Alim Qasimov and Fargana Qasimova, Ibrahim Keivo and Salar Aghili. Baku, the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World 2009 was presented in two concerts: The Alim Qasimov Ensemble and Bakusitic Jazz, a formation based round the pianist Salman Gambarov, gave us an impression of the extraordinary musical wealth of Azerbaijan. The young Uzbek singer Yulduz Turdieva, winner of the International Mugam Contest Baku, presented not only songs of joy from her home town of Buchara, but also Persian and Azerbaijani traditional music.

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Festival members of the NDR Bigband and the Syrian Bigband played together for the first time. Some of those involved were Kinan Azmeh, Salar Aghili, Harir Shariatzadeh, Linda Betar, Basel Rajoub, Nezar Omran, Nareg Abajian, Claus Stötter, Klaus Heidenreich, Christof Lauer, Hannibal Saad and Cymin Samawatie. "Bridging Cultures Through Music – Towards An International Network of Festivals" was the motto of an international conference, which brought festival managers from Lahore, Baku, Tehran, Amsterdam, New York, Wien and Osnabrück together with representatives of foundations, ministries and institutions in order to develop concepts for future collaboration.