Istanbul, once the capital of three empires, is a place where languages, religions, and cultures have intersected for centuries. This multifaceted tapestry has given rise to a rich musical tradition. The program traces the musical legacy of the city’s Greek, Jewish, Armenian, and Muslim communities, bringing Istanbul’s diverse soundscapes to life.

About our new series

Unexpectedly familiar – “aşina” is a word of Persian origin that describes something familiar to us, even if we do not fully understand it: a sense of closeness that needs no explanation. The concert series of the same name stands for a new way of listening that recognizes the familiar in the supposedly foreign and brings it closer to us. Aşina connects not through culture, but through shared sensibilities. Internationally renowned musicians come to Berlin for the series, some of them after a long absence, specifically for these concerts. Time-honoured traditions, artists from the urban scene, and musical forms of expression rarely heard in concert halls come together on stage, giving voice to the music of our time. At the same time, the audience brings together worlds that often merely coexist in everyday life.