Sudanese music is rich and diverse, reflecting the cultural and ethnic variety found in the country. It is deeply rooted in traditions that blend African, Arab and Nubian influences. Including everything from the mawwal, a vocal style of Sudanese music characterized by improvised poetry sung over simple melodic lines, to modern Sudanese pop, to the strong Sufi tradition, the variety in Sudanese music is astounding.

This concert at Casa Árabe will in large part pay tribute to Mohammed Wardi,a Sudanese singer, poet and composer of Nubian origin. Wardi played a wide range of instruments, including the Nubian kissar, and he sang in both Arabic and Nubian. According to Sudanese essayist and critic Lemya Shammat, he is an “inspirational figure in Sudanese music and culture, whose prolific talent and enormous contribution remain unsurpassed in Sudan.” Considered one of Africa’s finest singers, his songs delve into themes like romance, passion, Nubian folklore, heritage, revolution and patriotism.

Yassir Khairy has been a Sudanese singer since 1985. He studied at the Academy of Music in Khartoum. He then arrived in the Netherlands in 1999, where he started to spread Sudanese culture and, in particular, Nubian culture, which forms part of his identity. He has taken part in many prestigious festivals throughout Europe. On the national day in the Netherlands, he was given the honor of representing all refugees by singing together with musicians of various nationalities.

Wafir S. Gibril is a Sudanese musician located in Spain, whose versatility includes the Arabic oud, accordion and Middle Eastern percussion. He has participated in experiences as varied as early music with Eduardo Paniagua, with flautist and saxophonist Jorge Pardo, Hevia from the region of Asturias, the Castilians forming La Musgaña, La Bazanca, in fusion music Radio Tarifa and Tres Culturas Tres, the Africans of Senegal Djanbutu Thiossane and Joaquín Ruíz in flamenco.

Rawan is a Palestinian singer and composer interested in reviving Palestinian folklore and traditional Arabic music in a contemporary form. She studied law in Nablus and practiced for several years as a lawyer in Ramallah, which she combined with her passion for music. In addition to singing at various cultural events and workshops in Palestine, Rawan has continued her musical journey by moving to Madrid, where she has been actively working to collaborate with professional musicians at venues like Galilleo Galilei and Espacio Ronda.