The Jerusalem International Oud Festival

A festival like no other, The Jerusalem International Oud Festival brings one of the Middle East’s most intriguing instruments to the forefront. The short-necked, pear-shaped, lute-like instrument is extremely popular in North African Middle Eastern music, but often misses the attention it deserves. This 10-12 day annual event not only promotes the underrated instrument on a more international level, it also promotes cultural diversity within the country, uniting the classical sounds of Arab and Persian instrumentation with Jewish liturgy. From the ethno-jazz ensemble, Egari, to the offerings of American-Armenian, Ara Dinkjian–as much a gift to the oud as the oud is to him–this year’s festival is packed with more musical tastes, timbres, and tributes than ever before.