Afghan Youth Orchestra Performs at Berlin’s Young Euro Classic Festival

On Sunday evening, August 17, the Afghan Youth Orchestra performed at Berlin’s Konzerthaus as part of the prestigious Young Euro Classic Festival, one of Europe’s leading events for youth orchestras, renowned for showcasing emerging talent from around the world.

The orchestra’s program featured a blend of traditional Afghan music, Sufi chants, and symphonic arrangements for both Western and indigenous instruments. The performance highlighted resilience, hope, and the cultural resistance of the Afghan people in the face of oppression.

Originally part of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul, which was shut down following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, the orchestra is now based in Portugal and performs under the name “Afghan Youth Orchestra in Exile.”