Young musicians bring joy to the streets of Duhok

Music stirs different emotions in an audience. It can evoke nostalgia, sorrow, or delight.

Recently a group of four young performers calling themselves Soul Music brought joy to an audience in typically crowded Newroz square near the center of Duhok’s busy streets.

Their soft, sweet melodies and the sound of classic Kurdish songs soon attracted people from all over the square, many holding their phones aloft to video the performance. 

Such a spectacle may be common elsewhere, but it is a rare occurrence in the city of Duhok.

Ghazi Waleed, one of the performers, said he finds the public square and parks to be a convenient place to play. Waleed told Kurdistan 24 that he wants people to experience the feeling of coming into contact with music in unexpected places.

Music in Public Spaces

According to Waleed, the group’s confidence came after years of effort. The 24-year-old, who has a Fine Arts diploma, said the group was established in 2018. Their goal was not money or fame but to create a culture in Duhok where more young musicians can find opportunities.

Onlookers were happy to see the group play and said they hoped performances would continue. 

One audience member, Aveen Taha, praised the young musicians’ efforts and said the outdoor performance was a step in the right direction.

In total, Soul Music has eight members, and are expecting more to join. They are planning future performances in parks and public squares in Duhok, Zakho, Amedi, and Akre.

Idris Mahmoud of the Duhok Youth High Center said that the center was happy to support young people with great talent and contribute to the local culture.

Although music has always been associated with Duhok, the performers hope for more support for musicians and for a college of music to be opened in the province. There is a fine arts institute in the city but Ghazi said there is nowhere for people like him to earn a university degree in music.