Risha | Concert celebrating Goethe's 276th birthday

Vocals, clarinet, oud, cello and darbuka blend effortlessly across different genres and musical traditions. The transcultural ensemble Risha (Arabic for “feather” or “plectrum”) oscillates between classical, folk and pop music.

The five musicians initially came together through their enthusiasm for classical Arabic music. Their repertoire is therefore interwoven with reminiscences of artists such as the Egyptian musician Mohamed Abdel Wahab and the Lebanese singer Fairuz.
The ensemble combines these influences with German folk and art songs, such as those by the Zwickau composer Jürgen Golle.

Risha's new programme now also includes compositions by the ensemble members. For example, a contemporary-inspired setting of a poem by Selma Meerbaum-Eisinger and a song about the fleeting nature of beautiful moments, with German lyrics and a pop character, will be premiered.

The band from Leipzig will enchant us on Goethe's birthday with a musical mix of different cultures – a journey of sound that would certainly not have left Goethe unmoved.

Basel Alkatrib – oud
Juliana Koch – cello
Friederike von Oppeln-Bronikowski – clarinet
Alaa Salah Eddine – percussion
Rosa Rau – vocals
 

To the  Risha website