Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music with Damon Albarn and other guests, Southbank Centre

Following the outbreak of civil war in their home country, members of the Syrian National Orchestra for Arabic Music fled across the globe. Now, nearly five years after the conflict began, the ninety-person ensemble is to reunite for a very special performance alongside Damon Albarn, and other guests to be announced, at the Southbank Centre.

Albarn is a legendary figure in contemporary music. The former Blur frontman arrived in the early ‘90s atop the wave of Britpop, formed the virtual pop group Gorillaz later in the decade, and released his solo debut Everyday Robots in 2014. His collaboration with the Syrian National Orchestra dates back to 2008 when Gorillaz performed alongside the ensemble at an historic Damascus show. The orchestra later appeared on the group’s genre-spanning Plastic Beach, bookending ‘White Flag’ with sweeping, hip-hop infused arrangements.

The upcoming June 25 concert is co-organised by the Southbank Centre and Africa Express, a project conceived by Albarn to promote musical collaboration. It forms part of 14-18 NOW, a series of events focusing on the legacy of the First World War. In this case, our attention is directed to the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement which divided provinces of the Ottoman Empire between the British and the French, and sowed the seeds of instability in the region.

This is set to be an exceptional performance so tickets are likely to go fast.