Among the Iraqi Cultural Week in Paris, UNESCO invited Ahmed Mukhtar to perform a solo Oud Concert on 12 November 2007 at 9.00pm
This event features a variety of activities intended to celebrate Iraqi culture. The programme of this cultural week, organized by the UNESCO Culture Sector and the UNESCO Office for Iraq.
in Journey in Iraqi Music ,Mukhtar will play some of his music and Iraqi heritage music,the pieces are as follows:

Call of the Sea
A rhythm call ‘Sout’ in scale Rast this improvisation with composed theme are based on old traditional style .It tells of the return of fishermen and pearl divers at Sunset in sea of Basra city (South of Iraq).

Arab Marshes (Saba) (Ahmed Mukhtar)
This piece is about the marshes in the south of Iraq ( Amara , Basra and Nasria City ‘South of Iraq’), with their incredibly rich plant and wildlife. Many songs and pieces of music have been written about them. The scale called Mahmadawi: ancient and unique as part of traditions C, Db, Eb (microtone), Fb, G, Ab, Bb, C. The Mahmadawi scale part from deep and ancient music heritage of Iraq which known as ( Rifi singing), has not been presented internationally before.

Babylonia fingers
Traditional and ancient way of playing Oud by Finger only without used of the plectrum (middle of Iraq)

Sowihly the Bedouin tradition (arr. Ahmed Mukhtar)
An improvisation (Taqasim) based on Bayat, Sowihly Scales. This particular Taqasim built on Ancient Bedouin Singing style from (west of Iraq)

Dance of the Bedouins:
it based on rhythms called chobi is an old dance and popular rhythm in Iraq, used by Bedouins and Arab people. It is a composition based on scale Byati and is played in a special way in west of Iraq.

For more information Please contact:
Jeannette Tchilinguirian
j.tchilinguirian@unesco.org
General phone:
+33 (0)1 45 68 10 00
-- Telex:
204461 Paris;
270602 Paris
- Website:
www.unesco.org
- E-mail: bpi@unesco.org