Wassim Mukdad

Wassim Mukdad is a Berlin-based musician. He plays the Oud (the Arabic fretless Lute), composes and directs various ensembles, specializing in multiple genres like Tarab, Dance and Traditional music, mixing elements from the Oriental and Western musical cultures.
Since early childhood, Wassim played both the Oud and Piano, and was strongly inspired by Munir Bashir, one of the best Oud players of all times. He continued his academic studies at the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus under the supervision of the renown professors Askar Alikbarov (from Azerbaijan), Isam Rafee and Mohammad Othman (from Syria) and currently in Germany, he continues his studies in Musicology at the Humbold-Universität zu Berlin. Wassim has had the chance to take part in several theatre and opera performances in Berlin, for example at Maxim Gorki Theater and the Komische Oper Berlin. He has performed in Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
Additionally Wassim also works on various other music projects like Berlin Oriental Group, Husam Al-Ali Ensemble and Arabic Music Quartet which are mixed bands of Syrian, Italian, Israeli, Russian and German musicians, delivering a message of peace and diversity. He is also a member of Babylon Orchestra, an orchestra that stands for the fusion of Arabic music and European music in Berlin.
Before moving to Germany Wassim performed with a great number of ensembles in Syria as well as in Turkey, focusing on opening the conversation between cultures and advocating peace in the face of stereotyping, racism and wars.