Event Calender

Andalusyria brings together two talented artists who have created an original repertoire at the crossroads of flamenco and Arab traditions. Nazih Borish, based in Montreal, is a self-taught oud virtuoso that founded his own school in his hometown of Lattakia, Syria. Gabriel Evangelista, a Montrealer of Spanish origin, is a flamenco-jazz pianist. Both have developed their own musical language over the course of their careers and are committed to this artistic encounter between flamenco, jazz and Syrian music, combining their cultural and personal horizons. The result: musical poetry built on soaring improvised lines that are unique from one concert to another.

Musicians: Nazih Borish (oud), Gabriel Evangelista (piano), Hanser Santos Gomez (cajón)

This concert brings together four artists from different musical traditions. You will listen to a combination of traditional Maritime tunes with Rwandan melodies, accompanied by instrumental Baroque melodies on the lute and gheychak.

Inspired by 17th-century musical traditions, voices and instruments create an original tapestry of sound, constantly transformed by artist Deo Munyakazi’s improvisations on the inanga.

The result is an astonishing constellation of unique pieces, with Kerry Bursey’s lute and Reza Abaee’s gheychak. He adds a Baroque and Persian dimension to the Scottish and Irish melodies of traditional Maritime singer Janelle Lucyk.

Voices and inanga: Deo Munyakazi
Voice and violin: Janelle Lucyk
Lute and theorbo: Kerry Bursey
Gheychak: Reza Abaee

The Centre for World Musicians, in partnership with Soho Concept, is pleased to present a concert by Erkan Oğur and Ismail Hakkı Demircioğlu.

This event features two of Anatolia’s most respected musicians, both famous for their contributions to Anatolian folk music and their mastery of their instruments.

Erkan Oğur, the inventor of the fretless guitar, is a critically acclaimed guitarist whose influence extends beyond international boundaries. His collaboration with Ismail Hakkı Demircioğlu, a master of the strings, was praised for his artistic alchemy and deeply emotional performances. The duo’s repertoire includes a mix of old and new Anatolian folk songs, described as “a common attempt to recall” the soulful melodies of their homeland.

For more than twenty years, Oğur and Demircioğlu have been breathing new life into the songs of Anatolia, mixing traditional instruments like saz and bağlama lute with modern fretless guitar sounds. Their collaborations have resulted in several albums and concerts acclaimed around the world, drawing on musical traditions that date back to the 14th century.

This concert at the Saint-Enfant-Jésus church in Mile-End offers a rare opportunity to discover the depth and beauty of Anatolian folk music, performed by two of its most authentic and competent practitioners. Don’t miss this opportunity to attend a live performance that promises to be a sincere tribute to the rich musical heritage of Anatolia.

“The most exciting vocal group of its generation”

Windborne’s captivating show draws on the singers’ deep roots in vocal harmony traditions, while the absolute uniqueness of their artistic approach brings old songs into the present. Known for the innovation of their arrangements, their harmonies are bold and anything but predictable.

With 20 years of experience studying polyphonic music around the world, Lauren Breunig, Jeremy Carter-Gordon, Lynn Rowan and Will Rowan share a vibrant energy on stage, with a blend of voices that could only come from decades of friendship and diligent practice. The ensemble moves effortlessly from one style of music to another, taking the audience on a journey that spans continents and centuries, illuminating and expanding the profound power and variety of the human voice. Singers educate while entertaining, sharing stories about their songs and explaining the context and characteristics of the styles in which they sing.

This concert brings together four artists from different musical traditions. You will listen to a combination of traditional Maritime tunes with Rwandan melodies, accompanied by instrumental Baroque melodies on the lute and gheychak.

Inspired by 17th-century musical traditions, voices and instruments create an original tapestry of sound, constantly transformed by artist Deo Munyakazi’s improvisations on the inanga.

The result is an astonishing constellation of unique pieces, with Kerry Bursey’s lute and Reza Abaee’s gheychak. He adds a Baroque and Persian dimension to the Scottish and Irish melodies of traditional Maritime singer Janelle Lucyk.

Voices and inanga: Deo Munyakazi
Voice and violin: Janelle Lucyk
Lute and theorbo: Kerry Bursey
Gheychak: Reza Abaee

Music that makes you travel! With the sounds of jazz, the subtleties of classical, the klezmer inflections and the tango rhythms.

Renowned for their versatility, sensitivity and virtuosity, the four musicians present Villes Éternelles, in which the long and rich tradition of oriental music permeates each of Masmoudi’s compositions with its modes (maqamat) and metrics.

Masmoudi’s original compositions are permeated by the rich oriental sounds of the oud, with classical and jazz accents from Eastern Europe, complemented by piano, double bass and clarinet. A host of influences raked together along the way, in a truly open and experimental approach.

With: Guillaume Martineau on piano, Rémi-Jean Leblanc on double bass, Gabriel Paquin-Buki on guitar and Mohamed Masmoudi on clarinet.

This concert brings together four artists from different musical traditions. You will listen to a combination of traditional Maritime tunes with Rwandan melodies, accompanied by instrumental Baroque melodies on the lute and gheychak.

Inspired by 17th-century musical traditions, voices and instruments create an original tapestry of sound, constantly transformed by artist Deo Munyakazi’s improvisations on the inanga.

The result is an astonishing constellation of unique pieces, with Kerry Bursey’s lute and Reza Abaee’s gheychak. He adds a Baroque and Persian dimension to the Scottish and Irish melodies of traditional Maritime singer Janelle Lucyk.

Voices and inanga: Deo Munyakazi
Voice and violin: Janelle Lucyk
Lute and theorbo: Kerry Bursey
Gheychak: Reza Abaee

This concert brings together four artists from different musical traditions. You will listen to a combination of traditional Maritime tunes with Rwandan melodies, accompanied by instrumental Baroque melodies on the lute and gheychak.

Inspired by 17th-century musical traditions, voices and instruments create an original tapestry of sound, constantly transformed by artist Deo Munyakazi’s improvisations on the inanga.

The result is an astonishing constellation of unique pieces, with Kerry Bursey’s lute and Reza Abaee’s gheychak. He adds a Baroque and Persian dimension to the Scottish and Irish melodies of traditional Maritime singer Janelle Lucyk.

Voices and inanga: Deo Munyakazi
Voice and violin: Janelle Lucyk
Lute and theorbo: Kerry Bursey
Gheychak: Reza Abaee

This concert brings together four artists from different musical traditions. You will listen to a combination of traditional Maritime tunes with Rwandan melodies, accompanied by instrumental Baroque melodies on the lute and gheychak.

Inspired by 17th-century musical traditions, voices and instruments create an original tapestry of sound, constantly transformed by artist Deo Munyakazi’s improvisations on the inanga.

The result is an astonishing constellation of unique pieces, with Kerry Bursey’s lute and Reza Abaee’s gheychak. He adds a Baroque and Persian dimension to the Scottish and Irish melodies of traditional Maritime singer Janelle Lucyk.

Voices and inanga: Deo Munyakazi
Voice and violin: Janelle Lucyk
Lute and theorbo: Kerry Bursey
Gheychak: Reza Abaee

This concert brings together four artists from different musical traditions. You will listen to a combination of traditional Maritime tunes with Rwandan melodies, accompanied by instrumental Baroque melodies on the lute and gheychak.

Inspired by 17th-century musical traditions, voices and instruments create an original tapestry of sound, constantly transformed by artist Deo Munyakazi’s improvisations on the inanga.

The result is an astonishing constellation of unique pieces, with Kerry Bursey’s lute and Reza Abaee’s gheychak. He adds a Baroque and Persian dimension to the Scottish and Irish melodies of traditional Maritime singer Janelle Lucyk.

Voices and inanga: Deo Munyakazi
Voice and violin: Janelle Lucyk
Lute and theorbo: Kerry Bursey
Gheychak: Reza Abaee

As part of the Mundial Montréal conference event, the Centre des musiciens du monde is showcasing three works that combine sounds and instruments from Mongolia, Iran, Peru, Mali, and Brazil.

Carnets de soie – from Persia to Mongolia

On the musical paths joining the Silk Road, Uuriintuya Khalivan, carrying the breath of Mongolia, and Sadaf Amini, the echoes of Iran, met in Montreal. Together, they trace their itinerary, where each note becomes a pause on discovering the Other. They celebrate the richness of their respective cultures, woven like silk threads, seeking harmonies beyond borders, beyond distances.

Duo Perse-Inca

Duo Perse-Inca is the fruit of a meeting in Montreal between a Peruvian and an Iranian musician, both bearers of the rich traditions of Iran: Showan Tavakol on kamancheh fiddle, and Federico Tarazona on charango guitar. This collaboration has brought together ancient musical systems, which the two artists explore through the delicacy of Andean melodies and the depth of Persian music. By marrying languages, techniques and aesthetics, they give birth to a music that is both ancient in its roots and modern through this unexpected encounter.

Siraba – Adama Daou

Siraba means the great way, a proposal for dialogue between 3 continents…

This is the name of our latest show, an artistic dialogue between the emblematic languages of West Africa, South America and Europe, based on Mali’s 12-blade balafon and Manding guitar (Aboulayé Koné), Brazil’s pandeiro and saxophone (Gabriel Schwartz) and double bass (Olivier Babaz). A refreshingly syncopated encounter, where ancient traditions are renewed through a dialogue that opens up a new universe of great beauty.

***

Showcase schedule:

19:00 – Doors open

20:00 – Carnets de soie – from Persia to Mongolia

20:30 – Persian-Inca Duo

21:00 – Siraba – Adama Daou

***

Free for Mundial Montréal PRO and DÉCOUVERTE badge holders

This concert brings together four artists from different musical traditions. You will listen to a combination of traditional Maritime tunes with Rwandan melodies, accompanied by instrumental Baroque melodies on the lute and gheychak.

Inspired by 17th-century musical traditions, voices and instruments create an original tapestry of sound, constantly transformed by artist Deo Munyakazi’s improvisations on the inanga.

The result is an astonishing constellation of unique pieces, with Kerry Bursey’s lute and Reza Abaee’s gheychak. He adds a Baroque and Persian dimension to the Scottish and Irish melodies of traditional Maritime singer Janelle Lucyk.

Voices and inanga: Deo Munyakazi
Voice and violin: Janelle Lucyk
Lute and theorbo: Kerry Bursey
Gheychak: Reza Abaee

This concert brings together four artists from different musical traditions. You will listen to a combination of traditional Maritime tunes with Rwandan melodies, accompanied by instrumental Baroque melodies on the lute and gheychak.

Inspired by 17th-century musical traditions, voices and instruments create an original tapestry of sound, constantly transformed by artist Deo Munyakazi’s improvisations on the inanga.

The result is an astonishing constellation of unique pieces, with Kerry Bursey’s lute and Reza Abaee’s gheychak. He adds a Baroque and Persian dimension to the Scottish and Irish melodies of traditional Maritime singer Janelle Lucyk.

Voices and inanga: Deo Munyakazi
Voice and violin: Janelle Lucyk
Lute and theorbo: Kerry Bursey
Gheychak: Reza Abaee

6:15 p.m.: doors open and access to the refreshment bar
6:30 p.m.-7 p.m.: Pre-concert meeting with Kiya Tabassian (hosted by Frédéric Léotar, ethnomusicologist)
8 p.m.: concert

One of Iran’s most beloved artists and the preeminent ambassador of Persian music, Kayhan Kalhor  is a soulful master of the  kamancheh, the Persian spiked fiddle. Widely known for his stirring improvisations, exquisite compositions, and extensive collaborations, Kalhor returns to Vancouver alongside setar virtuoso Kiya Tabassian, and one of the greatest voices of new generation Iran’s singers, Hadi Hosseini. Together, they will present a unique sublime Persian music and poetry program.

Distribution :

KAYHAN KALHOR, kamancheh

HADI HOSSEINI, vocals

KIYA TABASIAN, setar

HAMIN HONARI, tombak

The program is inspired by different physical and emotional landscapes that an imaginary traveller might encounter – from the observation of deeply moving beauty in unfamiliar landscapes, to the audacity of a long journey, to the loneliness a traveller might feel far from home. Above all, their musical journey is a conversation between their instruments’ sounds and their strings’ multiple vibrations, leaving room for improvisation and exploration of the unknown.

The audience is invited to follow a geographical route from China to Italy via India, weaving in links between different historical periods and presenting music from the ancient Han dynasty (200 BC – 9 AD) to music from the nascent European Renaissance in early 15th-century Italy.

Annette Bauer (sarode, recorders, duduk, tabor)

Ran Wang (guzheng)

Music that makes you travel! With the sounds of jazz, the subtleties of classical, the klezmer inflections and the tango rhythms.

Renowned for their versatility, sensitivity and virtuosity, the four musicians present Villes Éternelles, in which the long and rich tradition of oriental music permeates each of Masmoudi’s compositions with its modes (maqamat) and metrics.

Masmoudi’s original compositions are permeated by the rich oriental sounds of the oud, with classical and jazz accents from Eastern Europe, complemented by piano, double bass and clarinet. A host of influences raked together along the way, in a truly open and experimental approach.

With: Guillaume Martineau on piano, Rémi-Jean Leblanc on double bass, Gabriel Paquin-Buki on clarinet and Mohamed Masmoudi on oud

Deo Munyakazi is a renowned Rwandan musician, famous for his mastery of the inanga, a traditional harp from the African Great Lakes region. This essential instrument in Rwandan music is used to tell stories and pass on cultural values.

Deo is committed to preserving this heritage while modernizing it. His performances, both technical and sensitive, captivate audiences, reflecting the unknown beauty of Rwandan culture. As a musical ambassador, he values oral traditions while building bridges with other styles.

An unmissable artist for discovering the rich soundscape of Rwanda through the presentation of new traditional melodies by Deo.

It’s also the name of Adama Daou’s latest show, an artistic dialogue between the emblematic languages of West Africa, South America and Europe, using the balafon and Mandinka guitar (Aboulayé Koné), Brazil’s pandeiro and the saxophone (Gabriel Schwartz) and the double bass (Olivier Babaz). It is a refreshing and dynamic encounter, where a dialogue renews ancient traditions and opens a new universe of great beauty.

Adama Daou is a musician from Mali, considered one of the greatest specialists of the balafon, the emblematic 12-blade percussion of the whole West Africa. His migration path, which took him to Quebec via France, opened the door to numerous artistic collaborations with tradition-bearers from various musical cultures. Adama Daou is a true ambassador of balafon and Mandinka culture.

The four musicians of the Masmoudi Quartet, led by oud player Mohamed Masmoudi, are renowned for their versatility, sensitivity and virtuosity. They present Villes Éternelles (2023), in which the long and rich tradition of oriental music imbues each of Mohammed Masmoudi’s compositions with its own modes and metrics, on Saturday February 8 at the Théâtre Alphonse-Desjardins in Repentigny (8 p.m.).

With improvisations borrowing from jazz and classical idioms, sprinkled with klezmer inflections and tango rhythms, the works of the Masmoudi Quartet bear witness to the richness of a life begun in Tunisia and continued an ocean away, with a host of influences raked up along the way, in a truly open and experimental approach.

For Mohamed Masmoudi, Villes Éternelles (2023) is the crystallization of several decades of creativity, work, learning and musical exchange. It is the culmination of rigorous refinements and explorations of richly diversified fields, which are inevitably linked by an Ariadne’s thread to the oud’s deep roots. The demonstration of its various uses helps us to see this instrument as more than the reflection of a distant culture, but rather the vehicle of a shared sensibility. Nominated for ADISQ and Folk Music AWARD.

Mohamed Masmoudi – oud
Gabriel Paquin-Buki – clarinet
Guillaume Martineau – piano
Rémi-Jean LeBlanc – double bass

Presented by Aramusique as part of the Musique du monde series.

Discover the fascinating beauty of the morinkhuur, the traditional horse-head fiddle, in the hands of Uuriintuya Khalivan, a young virtuoso from Inner Mongolia. Born into an ancient tradition, Uurintuya received her first instrument at the age of 12, a gift from her poet father.

With her subtle playing of harmonics, the morinkhuur evokes the wild nature: the breath of the wind, the gallop of horses, the vastness of the steppe, and the whisper of spirits, with each note weaving a deep connection between humans and their environment.

Let yourself be transported by the breath of this millennial music, where tradition and emotion become one. An unforgettable evening to connect with the vast Mongolian landscapes.

The program is inspired by different physical and emotional landscapes that an imaginary traveller might encounter – from the observation of deeply moving beauty in unfamiliar landscapes, to the audacity of a long journey, to the loneliness a traveller might feel far from home. Above all, their musical journey is a conversation between their instruments’ sounds and their strings’ multiple vibrations, leaving room for improvisation and exploration of the unknown.

The audience is invited to follow a geographical route from China to Italy via India, weaving in links between different historical periods and presenting music from the ancient Han dynasty (200 BC – 9 AD) to music from the nascent European Renaissance in early 15th-century Italy.

Annette Bauer (sarode, recorders, duduk, tabor)

Ran Wang (guzheng)

The Centre des musiciens du monde presents an unusual encounter between the musical culture of the Basque Country and that of the indigenous Mig’maq nation. The fruit of a creative residency bringing together artists from these two worlds (Darlène Gijuminag, Claudine Arhancet and Michel Etxekopar), this meeting defies borders and brings together cultures that are brothers by land.
Revealing both their age-old traditions and the modernity that emanates from their recent collaborations, this concert will be punctuated by the encounter of traditional Mig’maq and Basque music, echoing the traces and faded images of their first encounters. The artists explore both real and imaginary territories, reminding us that the two communities crossed paths centuries ago.

This concert is presented in co-production with the SMCQ as part of the Montreal/New Music Festival with the participation of the Basques du Québec Euskaldunak association.

This concert brings together four artists from different musical traditions. You will listen to a combination of traditional Maritime tunes with Rwandan melodies, accompanied by instrumental Baroque melodies on the lute and gheychak.

Inspired by 17th-century musical traditions, voices and instruments create an original tapestry of sound, constantly transformed by artist Deo Munyakazi’s improvisations on the inanga.

The result is an astonishing constellation of unique pieces, with Kerry Bursey’s lute and Reza Abaee’s gheychak. He adds a Baroque and Persian dimension to the Scottish and Irish melodies of traditional Maritime singer Janelle Lucyk.

Voices and inanga: Deo Munyakazi
Voice and violin: Janelle Lucyk
Lute and theorbo: Kerry Bursey
Gheychak: Reza Abaee

Nazih Borish is a virtuoso of the oud, the Arab string instrument that is the precursor of European lutes, and a renowned musician in the world of oriental music. Born in Syria, he was trained from a young age in the rich Arab musical tradition.

His exceptional technique and unique interpretation of the oud have earned him international recognition. He blends tradition and innovation while respecting the essence of classical Arab music. His captivating performances combine subtle improvisations and refined compositions.

Nazih Borish is also an accomplished composer, creating works that explore new dimensions of the oud while staying true to its roots.
Through his expressive playing and mastery of the classical Arab repertoire, he is one of the most influential ambassadors of contemporary Arab music, connecting it with other musical traditions worldwide.

Immerse yourself in the vast Mongolian steppes with Nasanjargal Ganbold and Johanni Curtet.

In Mongolia, traditional music is deeply rooted in the natural environment and the nomadic way of life. At the heart of this sound ecology, Mongols engage in a dialogue with nature through their instruments and voices, blending praises with the art of throat singing.

Born in the Altai Mountains, the cradle of khöömii in western Mongolia, Nasanjargal Ganbold is a virtuoso of this unique vocal tradition. He also mastered traditional instruments such as the morin khuur (horsehead fiddle) and the tovshuur (lute). Alongside him, Johanni Curtet, a French ethnomusicologist and throat-singing specialist, brings depth to this musical journey.

Their collaboration gives rise to a concert where natural sounds, contemporary poetry, and improvisation intertwine, offering a profound immersion into the soul of Mongolian culture.

Recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, khöömii embodies the very essence of Mongolian musical tradition.

Artists

Nasanjargal Ganbold: khöömii, throat-singing, morin khuur fiddle, tovshuur lute, bishguur (oboe), mouth harp

Johanni Curtet: khöömii, throat-singing, dombra lute, guitar, mouth harp Presented by the Centre des musiciens du monde and Traquen’Art

In their musical encounter, musicians Ran Wang (guzheng) and Annette Bauer (sarode, recorders, duduk, xun) cross the Silk Road from east to west. Their journey invites the audience to follow a geographical route from China to Italy via India, weaving links between different historical periods as they present music from the ancient Han dynasty (200 BC – 9 AD) to music from the nascent European Renaissance in early 15th-century Italy.

Annette Bauer (sarode, recorders, duduk, tabor)

Ran Wang (guzheng)

Klapa (or klapsko pjevanje) is a multi-part singing tradition from the southern Croatian regions of Dalmatia. Sung in several voices, homophonic and a capella, the term klapa means ‘group of people’. With its rich blend of harmonies, klapa songs celebrate love, wine, homeland and the sea. Since 2012, this traditionally male genre has been included on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Sava is a female vocal ensemble performing polyphonic a cappella music from the Balkans. With Sarah Albu, Antonia Branković, Dina Cindrić and Sara Rousseau.

Come listen to traditional Rwandan songs and well-known Maritime artists at the String Constellation concert. Inspired by 17^th century musical traditions, voices and instruments create an original tapestry of sound. The result is an astonishing constellation of unique pieces, with Kerry Bursey’s lute and Reza Abaee’s gheychak adding a Baroque and Persian dimension to the Scottish and Irish melodies from the traditional Maritime repertoire.

Deo Munyakszi, vocals, inanga; Janelle Lucyk, vocals, violin; Kerry Bursey, lute, theorbo; Reza Abaee, gheychak