Gaudeamus Festival kicks off again in just over a week! ! From Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 September, you can discover adventurous music at various venues across Utrecht, created by artists who build bridges between genres, cultures and traditions. This year, there is a strong focus on artists from Lebanon, Iran and Syria.
As a valued partner of Culture Connection, Gaudeamus shares our passion for connecting cultures through music. In 2024, we joined forces at TivoliVredenburg for a memorable edition of Arabic Crossroads Music & Poetry, featuring the captivating singer Walid Ben Selim.
A special part of the festival is The Dome Sessions, taking place from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September. The installation presents experimental music sessions recorded inside the unfinished Dome of the Rachid Karami International Fair in Tripoli, Lebanon. During the festival, the project will continue live, with sessions by Lebanese musicians involved in the project. Read more about The Dome Sessions
On Saturday 12 September, the programme features work by two Iranian artists: composer and kamencheh player Soheil Shayesteh and composer/producer Rojin Sharafi. Their work moves at the intersection of contemporary music, traditional instruments and electronic sound. Read more about the programme
The closing night on Sunday 13 September once again brings together different musical traditions. Hamraaz Duo, featuring Khorshid Dadbeh and Lucie Lelaurain, presents new compositions for flute/duduk and tanbour/tar. Read more about Hamraaz Duo
Also on Sunday 13 September, Syrian oud player and composer Talal Fayad, together with Anas Qadamani and Skander Jaïbi, presents the new audiovisual performance The Arabic Apocalypse. The performance is inspired by the multidisciplinary work of Lebanese-American poet, writer and painter Etel Adnan. Read more about The Arabic Apocalypse