"Sounds Medieval": OMF Migrant Voices musicians featured at the Manchester Medieval Quarter Festival

On Saturday 23 September, four musicians from our OMF Migrant Voices network presented a concert in celebration of non-Western music traditions. The event, "Sounds Medieval?: Exploring non-European medieval music", was part of the Manchester Medieval Quarter Festival, and took place in the beautiful Baronial Hall within the grounds of Chetham's School of Music. Rakesh Joshi, Sarah Yaseen, Atefeh Einali, and Yazan Khwies each enthralled the audience with their beautiful performances, accompanied by fascinating anecdotes about their instruments and musical experiences. These exceptional musicians offered us a unique chance to hear a broad variety of music that is rarely played in the UK.

North Indian singer, raga pianist and harmonium player, Rakesh Joshi, opened the evening's programme by introducing the audience to the raga form through improvisation and a rendition of a well-known traditional raga.

Highlights of the next bracket included a Punjabi love song and an arrangement of a 12th century chant from Hildegard von Bingen, performed by Sufi-soul singer Sarah Yaseen, from her recently-released album "Electric Sufi".

Iranian musician Atefeh Einali shared her experience learning to play the santoor, a hammered dulcimer instrument of Iranian origin. She then demonstrated the full breadth of the instrument's range of colours through a mesmerising improvisation.

Syrian guitarist and composer Yazan Khwies closed the evening's programme with a beautiful cycle for classical guitar. Yazan is a graduate of Damascus University and is currently an Artist Protection Fund Fellow in residence at The University of Manchester, We are so grateful to the Medieval Quarter Festival for inviting our wonderful musicians to take part in this unique opportunity - special thanks to producer Laura Seddon for all your help! The OMF Migrant Voices network is comprised of over 70 musicians representing more than 30 different countries. The network celebrates the diversity of people and their music, and invites audiences to explore and connect with the wealth of musical creativity found in Greater Manchester. Migrant Voices also provides inspiring musical role models from global majority backgrounds to the children on our Learn to Play, Children's Voices and Youth Voices programmes.