In 2021, Irtijal Festival launched ISTIMRAR, its first series of commissioned works addressed to Lebanese musicians.
The purpose of this series is to keep the creativity of Lebanese musicians alive and robust, and to inject some stimulation into the Lebanese musical sector as a whole.
This first series of commissions went to twelve composers and musicians currently living in Lebanon: Jad Atoui, Abed Kobeissy, Aya Metwalli, Jawad Nawfal, Julia Sabra, Ghassan Sahhab, Anthony Sahyoun, Jana Saleh, Nour Sokhon Elyse Tabet, Fadi Tabbal and Cynthia Zaven.
Each musician was provided with the necessary tools to produce a musical work of her/his devising. The sole condition being that the work should be composed, recorded, mixed and produced locally.
released September 16, 2021.
Link to the full compilation:
irtijalfestival.bandcamp.com/album/istimrar-phase-1
Project Coordinators: Sharif Sehnaoui, Ziad Nawfal and Gaêlle Khalifé. All visuals by Joe Elias.
[ISTIMRAR was co-commissioned with Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in the UK - we thank hcmf// for its generous support, as well as Gwaertler Foundation, Al Mawred Al-Thaqafy and AFAC.
released September 16, 2021
Composed and performed by Julia Sabra.
Pipe organ recorded at the National Evangelical Church of Beirut. Vocals recorded at Tunefork Studios, Beirut. Mixed and co-produced with Fadi Tabbal at Tunefork Studios.
Mastered by Cedrik Fermont at Syrphe, Berlin.