The Omar Bashir Trio was formed in 1997 and comprises of the eponymous Iraqi-Hungarian Arabic lute artist and two Hungarian guitarists Andreas and Bálint Petz. They have performed everywhere from Egypt to Canada and made two CDs for international record labels. The first, which was released in Paris in 2001, was called Al Andaluz and enjoyed better sales in the world music charts than the likes of Björk, winning a world music special prize. Their second CD, Latin oud was released in Beirut in 2005. Born in Budapest in 1970, Omar Bashir is most definitely the “Prince of the lute”. His father, Iraqi musician Munir Bashir was known as the “King of the lute” and died in 1997. Omar has inherited his mantle as the instrument’s ambassador. He began playing the Arabic lute at the age of four and at seven studied in Baghdad. In 1991 he entered the Budapest Academy of Music. He gave many concerts jointly with his father and also performed solo and with his own band. In 2006, he gave a concert as part of the Arab-Flamenco series at the Palace of Arts as well. His trio is augmented with session musicians, and fuses elements of Arab, Flamenco, Turkish, Latin, world music and jazz. The “result” is Lute Around the World in 2 x 45 minutes and is unique because it appeals to both lovers of meditative and virtuosic music. The dialogue between the ud and the guitar, the encounter of past and present, produce individual sounds. This concert will feature melodies which date back three thousand years to when the lute was first invented. Each composition gives scope for improvisation, leading to a unique mood and playfulness which will certainly captivate the audience.

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