Iconic musician seeks to rebuild Iraq by way of music

By Associated Press

BAGHDAD: War stored him away from his beloved homeland for many years. Now, virtuoso oud participant Naseer Shamma hopes to assist rebuild conflict-scarred Iraq by way of a collection of concert events and different tasks to assist tradition and training.

The viewers on the Iraqi National Theater have been on their toes, overcome with emotion as Shamma performed an evening of classics from the Iraqi songbook and fashionable compositions.

“We will work on lighting the stage, to get out of the darkness into the light,” he informed the gang, earlier than kicking off the night with, “Sabah El Kheir Ya Baghdad,” or, “Good Morning Baghdad.” Behind him, an orchestra, together with younger ladies musicians, performed conventional devices.

The 59-year-old Shamma is taken into account a modern-day grasp of the oud, a pear-shaped stringed instrument much like a lute whose deep tones and swift-changing chords are central to Arabic music.

Born within the southern metropolis of Kut and raised in a conservative household, he acquired his first oud lesson on the age of 11 and later graduated from the Baghdad Academy of Music in 1987.

He fled Iraq in 1993 throughout Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship and gained worldwide fame, performing world wide and receiving dozens of awards. In Cairo, he based the House of the Oud, a faculty devoted to educating the instrument to new generations.

Shamma, who at present lives in Berlin, returned to Iraq for the primary time in 2012 to carry out in a live performance hosted by the Arab League. He mentioned he was shocked and overwhelmed with disappointment to see what had grow to be of his nation, which had fallen into non-ending cycles of struggle and sectarian blood-letting after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam.

“I found concrete T-walls surrounding Baghdad, I felt like I was walking inside a can, not a city,” Shamma informed The Associated Press in an interview, referring to the blast partitions that line many streets in Baghdad.

He returned a number of instances since, most not too long ago in 2017, when Iraq was torn aside in its battle with Islamic State group militants who had captured a lot of the north.

This was Shamma’s first time again to an Iraq comparatively at peace, although wracked by financial disaster. The temper, he famous, had modified, the town is extra relaxed and the viewers extra responsive.

“The audience’s artistic taste had changed as a result of wars, but last night it was similar to the audiences of the ’80s. I felt as if it was in an international concert like one in Berlin,” Shamma mentioned Friday after the primary of 4 concert events he’s holding in Baghdad this month.

The live performance collection, held below the slogan “Education First,” goals to focus on Iraq’s decaying training system, which has suffered below years of battle, authorities negligence and corruption. According to the World Bank, training ranges in Iraq, as soon as among the many highest within the area, are actually among the many lowest within the Middle East and North Africa. Ticket gross sales will go towards renovating the Music and Ballet School in Baghdad.

“In Iraq there are still schools made of mud, and students don’t have desks, they sit on the floor,” Shamma mentioned. “Education is the solution and answer for the future of Iraq.”

Shamma is thought for utilizing his fame to assist humanitarian causes, Iraqi kids and artwork. A couple of years in the past, he led an initiative that rebuilt the destroyed infrastructure of 21 fundamental squares in Baghdad. He can also be a UNESCO peace ambassador.

Shamma mentioned he hopes he can return to Iraq for good within the close to future and fired off an inventory of tasks he has in thoughts to assist reconstruction.

He expressed his opposition to spiritual events who attempt to silence artwork and political opponents and praised Iraqi youth who paid a excessive worth for revolting towards their corruption.

“The Iraqi people and Iraqi youth will not accept the hegemony of so-called religious parties. This is an open country where culture plays a very big role,” he mentioned, advocating for separation of politics from faith.

Fatima Mohammed, a 55-year-old Iraqi lady, shivering from the chilly as she emerged from the live performance on an uncharacteristically icy January night, mentioned the occasion was a message to everybody that Baghdad won’t ever die.

“I felt as I witnessed the women playing that Baghdad is fine and will return despite all the pain that we carry with us,” she mentioned.

“I will come tomorrow also to listen to music, it gives me hope in life.”