Classical music: Meet Zuhal Sultan, the founder of the Iraqi Youth Orchestra

By Jacob Stockinger

Wouldn’t it be nice for a change to hear good news from Iraq?

Usually we hear about sectarian violence, suicide bombings and widespread government corruption.

So for a change of pace, meet Zuhal Sultan (below), the woman who founded the Iraqi Youth Orchestra.

Her words remind us of what must have been in the mind of Marvin Rabin when he founded the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, which is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Sultan’s words about the importance of music education and music performance have meaning not only to Iraq and other nations at war but also to us.

Not that she and the Iraqi Youth Orchestra (below) don’t continue to face major obstacles, especially from The Islamic State (or ISIS or ISIL) as they were preparing for a tour. (You can hear the orchestra during a festival in Scotland in a YouTube video at the bottom. Be sure to check out the comments by readers and listeners as wells by Zuhal Sultan.)

But NPR, or National Public Radio, has done a public service by offering us a fine interview with her, by showing harmony amid conflict.

Here is a link to the story done by the reporter and new host of “All Things Considered” Ari Shapiro. You can read the set up piece, but you a should also listen to the audio:

http://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2015/09/28/443214847/-we-need-to-be-human-zuhal-sultan-on-starting-the-iraqi-youth-orchestra

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Posted in Classical music
Tags: All Things Considered, Ari Shapiro, Arts, Baghdad, Bomber, bombing, Cello, Classical music, festival, harmony, Iraq, ISIL, ISIS, Islamic State, Jacob Stockinger, Madison, Music, NPR, Orchestra, Scotland, Suicide attack, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras, WYSO, YouTube