The opening concert was with the Kurdish-Iranian kamanche player Kayhan Kalhor and the Turkish singer Aynur, who sang arrangements of her music by Wolf Kerschek, together with the Morgenland Chamber Orchestra. This blend of Kurdish, Armenian, Turkish, Iranian, Arabian and German musicians led to a “magic musical moment” of the very highest level. A further highlight was the performance by the Morgenland All Star Band on the Markt in Osnabrück. Over 2,000 people celebrated the debut of the 12-piece band with musicians from China, Syria, the Lebanon, Germany, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Yet another highlight was a musical thank-you by the Osnabrück Symphony Orchestra, the Osnabrück Youth Choir and the Festival soloists for Johannes Rahe, the retired director of the Cathedral Choir, who have been long-time partners of the Festival.

90 breath-taking minutes with the exceptional percussionist Mohammad Reza Mortazavi in the Marienkirche, together with a performance by the Ska-Punk formation of the Kurdish singer Hakan Vreskala and the Turkish-German DJane Ipek brought the Festival to a rousing finale.