Morgenland in Kurdistan/Iraq
In August 2013 the Morgenland Festival Osnabrück organized the 1st International Music Summer Erbil in Kurdistan, Iraq with 65 musicians from Iraq, Turkey, Syria, the USA, Lebanon, Spain, Cuba, Iran and Germany.
The National Youth Orchestra of Iraq performed together with members of the Osnabrück Youth Choir, conducted by Naci Özguc. Kinan Azmeh, Rony Barrak and Ibrahim Keivo were the brilliant soloists with the Gani Mirzo Band. For two nights DJane Ipek transformed the hotel garden into the largest dance floor in Erbil. The finale of the Festival was crowned by the first appearance in Kurdistan by Kayhan Kalhor, who performed together with Erdal Erzincan in Suleimania.
In spite of the organizational hurdles in advance of the Festival more than 3000 people attended the three concerts, two jam sessions, two parties and a church service with musical accompaniment.