In the heart of Berlin, where cultures blend and arts converge, Iraqi oud virtuoso Naseer Shamma invites audiences on a musical journey through time, tracing the influence of the oud, the oldest stringed instrument known to history. Over the course of four millennia, the oud traveled from Mesopotamia to Persia, then to Andalusia, paving the way for the birth of similar instruments, including the guitar, lute, rebab, and mandolin in Europe, the sitar in India, and the tar in Iran. Shamma has curated a series of five concerts reflecting the instrument’s impact on intertwined musical styles that speak to the depth of cultural exchange between peoples.