Duo Sidare

The Ensemble Sidare focuses on the forgotten music traditions of Iraq. The musicians all studied at the School of Music in Baghdad and are currently based in Europe. The ensemble gives concerts internationally; in Germany appearances have included the Massala Weltbeat Festival in Hanover and the Schwetzinger Festspiele. Ensemble Sidare has unearthed many forgotten scores from Iraq, such as old songs and laments traditionally in the domain of women. They also play maquam, which in Iraq is not only – as is the case in the rest of the Orient – a term for specific melodic modes but also the name for a style of singing typical in Baghdad. Sidare is the name for the traditional caps the musicians wear during performances.