Part of The Portland Jewish Music Festival 2026!

Festival headliner Yair Dalal is a world-famous Israeli musician, composer, and peace activist of Iraqi-Jewish descent. Born in 1955, his work is characterized by a fusion of Middle Eastern, Jewish, and Arabic musical traditions, often influenced by his Iraqi roots and the desert environment. Yair will be joined by master Israeli percussionist Dror Sinai.

All Ages, $22/Adv, $25/Door

Kids Ages 6-12 $11 (kids under 6 free).

YAIR DALAL is a composer, violinist, oud player singer and a teacher; A prolific ethnic musician, he has played an important role in shaping the global world music scene.

Much of Dalal’s work reflects his extensive musical skills in both classical-European, Jazz and Arabic music and also reflects a strong affinity he has for the desert and its habitants. Dalal’s family came to Israel from Baghdad and his Iraqi roots are embedded in his musical work. Whether working on his own, or with his Alol ensemble, Dalal creates new Middle Eastern music by interweaving the traditions of Iraqi and Jewish Arabic music with a range of influences originating from such diverse cultural milieus as the Balkans to India. The evocative compositions comprise a unique and colorful sound.

Apart from creating music, Dalal devotes his time to preserving musical heritages from becoming extinct - the Babylonian Jewish Iraqi musical heritage and the music of the Bedouins (the Sinai desert nomads).

Dalal has performed in concerts and festivals worldwide including major venues such as New York Carnegie hall and Lincoln center , Womad festivals from England to Australia and New Zealand as well as in nomads' humble desert tents.

Dalal says, “When I play or when I compose, many things are in my head and in my spirit: the Jewish prayer from the Synagogue, the Iraqi maqam which was played in the Baghdad coffee shops by the Jews, and the folk songs that we have in Arabic. And also the desert, which is my favorite place.”

Dalal performed at the Nobel Peace Prize gala concert in 1994 honoring the Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat.

Dalal has won several Israeli awards acknowledging his music and his contribution to Israeli music. He recently won a Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 on behalf of the Israeli Ministry of Culture .

The Jerusalem international oud festival awarded him for his musical vision and creativity in the ethnic world music scene 2015 , was also nominated in 2000 for a Grammy as part of Jordi Saval’s ensemble and by BBC world music rewards 2003 for his musical achievements as best musician from the Middle East. Yair Dalal continues his musical work with new projects performing and composing.