Constantinople :: The Ensemble - Musicians and collaborators

~~ The Ensemble ~~ SEASON 2011-2012 ~~

~~ Discography ~~ Listen ~~ On tour ~~

~~ Press Room ~~ Contact ~~ Myspace ~~

The Ensemble ~ Musicians and collaborators


	Kiya Tabassian setar, artistic director Born in Tehran in 1976, Kiya Tabassian received his initial training in Persian music from Mehrdad Torabi at the Bahârlou Institute in Tehran, from Reza Ghassemi in Paris and Kayhan Kalhor in Montreal. He has since continued to develop his instrumental skills independently. He has also studied composition at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal with Gilles Tremblay and Michel Gonneville. Read more...
	Ziya Tabassian tombak, daf, def, dayereh, percussion Ziya Tabassian started playing the tombak (a Persian percussion) at the age of 11. From 1994 to 2001 he studied classical percussion with Julien Grégoire in Montreal, and has completed a Bachelor degree in percussion interpretation at the Université de Montréal. During winter 2002, with the help of Quebec Art Council, Ziya went back to Iran for a tombak training with M. Bahman Rajabi. Recently, he completed a residency at the Banff Centre for the arts, where he explored the contemporary music on the Persian percussions. Read more...
	Pierre-Yves Martel viola de gamba, dessus de viole Dividing his time between improvised music and early music and between Montréal and Paris, Pierre-Yves Martel leads an international career performing with musicians from diverse backgrounds and cultures. After studies in classical and jazz double bass as well as composition, he decides in 2008 to devote himself solely to the viol (viola da gamba), an instrument seldom used in contemporary music contexts. Apart from his work with Constantinople, he has initiated and recorded a number of projects including Engagement & Confrontation, Quartetski Does Prokofiev, Disparition de l'usine éphémère and Sainct Laurens, all of which have met with critical acclaim across the globe. He can also often be heard performing with early music groups such as Le Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, Ensemble Masques, Les Voix Baroques and Arion. Pierre-Yves joined Constantinople in 2008.
	Didem Basar Kanun Didem Basar est née à Istanbul en 1974. Elle a commencé à étudier la musique et l'art du kanun en 1985 au Conservatoire de musique d'Istanbul sous la tutelle de Nevzat Sumer. En 1991, elle continue son apprentissage à l'Université d'Istanbul sous la supervision de Demirhan Altug et de Yavuz Ozustun, et obtient son baccalauréat en composition en 1995. Son intérêt pour la musique sacrée l'amène à étudier la musique Soufi à l'Université Matmara d'où elle obtient sa maîtrise en 1999. Didem a participé à de nombreux concerts, enregistrements de disque, radio et télévision en Turquie ainsi qu'à l'étranger. De 2001 à 2007, date de son arrivée au Québec, elle était professeur invitée de kanun au Conservatoire de musique de l'Université d'Istanbul.
	Françoise Atlan voice Of Jewish origin, Françoise Atlan is one in the most beautiful voices specialized in the songs of the Mediterranean Sea. She sings in ladino the Sephardic romances of the Jewish communities of North Africa or Andalusia, in occitan the classical laments of the troubadours, in Arabic the arabo-andalusian melodies. But, it is above all as a woman of the Mediterranean, this sea of the sharing, that lives Françoise Atlan. Read more...
	Rosario La Tremendita voice Rosario ''La Tremendita'' was born in Seville in 1984 into family of cantaores and bailaores. From a very early age, Rosario accompanied her father, the cantaor José ''El Tremendo'', singing at local fairs and festivals by the time she was five years old. Even as a child she earned the adoration of the public for her special way with cante. La Tremendita has performed in Spain's most prestigious penas. In addition to performing at festivals, homages, and competitions, she has made several local and national television appearances as an accompanist and as a soloist. During the course of her career, Rosario has shared the stage with such artists as Manuel Mairena, Chano Lobato, El Nano de Jerez, María Conejo, Gaspar de Urtrera, D. Manuel Bohórquez, José de la Tomasa, Antonio Carrión, Triana Pura, Sara Baras, Francisco Céspedes, Marifé de Triana, María del Monte, and Fangoria. In 2004 La Tremendita received the Manolo Caracol award for her solea por bulerías at the highly competitive and prestigious XVII National Competition at Córdoba. In 2005, she toured Spain and France, performing in Paris and Toulouse and appearing at the Nimes Flamenco Festival. She also presented her first recital at the Jerez Flamenco Festival. In 2006, Rosario began working with bailaora and choreographer Belén Maya, touring with ''Dibujos'', a show staged to critical acclaim throughout Europe and the Americas. In 2007, again in collaboration with Belén Maya, she joined the spectacular ''Souvenir'', a co-production with the renowned El Mercat de les Flors of Barcelona. La Tremendita also works with the bailaora Roció Molina in the production ''Por el decir de la gente'', while keeping a full schedule of recitals throughout Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Mexico.
	Barbara Furtuna Ensemble vocal de polyphonies Corses Barbara Furtuna est un ensemble vocal masculin entièrement dévoué au chant polyphonique corse. Les chanteurs qui composent le groupe occupent la scène insulaire depuis plus de 20 ans. C'est certainement ce qui fait que l'on ressent, lors de leurs concerts, une maîtrise parfaite des nuances et des harmonies. Leurs concerts se distinguent par un équilibre savamment orchestré entre polyphonies traditionnelles sacrées et profanes, créations, adaptations et reprises de vieux chants restés dans la mémoire collective. L'alternance de différentes couleurs dans le choix des morceaux du répertoire donne à l'ensemble une tonicité inattendue. Les chanteurs témoignent d'un héritage culturel apporté par le Riacquistu des années soixante dix tout en se projetant dans un avenir réaliste, portés par une terre qui les inspire et une volonté de découvrir l'Ailleurs, de s'émouvoir d'autres lieux et d'autres gens.
	Savina Yannatou voix Savina Yannatou a étudié le chant au Conservatoire national et à l'Atelier de chant d'Athènes avec Spiros Sakkas, et a fait ses études de troisième cycle à la Guildhall School de Londres. Encore étudiante, elle chantait déjà dans la très populaire émission grecque, Lillipoupoli, puis a travaillé sous la direction du compositeur Manos Hadjidakis. Au fil de sa carrière, elle a parcourru divers genres et styles musicaux. Chanteuse de musique ancienne, de la Renaissance et de l'époque baroque, elle appartient à l'Atelier de musique ancienne d'Athènes depuis 1983. Réputée aussi pour ses interprétations de chansons grecques modernes, elle a collaboré avec de nombreux compositeurs contemporains, chantant par exemple dans les opéras de Nikos Mamangakis. Elle a aussi composé des oeuvres pour le théâtre, des documentaires télévisés, de l'art vidéo, de la pantomime et la musique électronique. Elle chante depuis 5 ans avec Primavera en Salonico, un ensemble de musique de Thessalonique en Grèce qui explore les musiques des différentes cultures et traditons de la Méditerranée. Elle a enregistré plusieurs disques chez ECM.
	Lori Freedman clarinettes Lori Freedman est reconnue comme l'une des plus créatives et provocatrices musiciennes dans la domaine de la musique contemporaine. Son style protéiforme lui permet d'interpréter et d'improviser en concert et elle collabore fréquemment avec des artistes issus des arts visuels, du théâtre et de la danse. Plus de 45 compositeurs ont écrit pour elle des solos pour clarinette basse et on peut l'entendre sur plus de 40 disques compacts: Plumb (Barnyardrecords), 3 et à un moment donné (Ambiances Magnétiques), Huskless! (Artifact), See Saw et Thin Air (Wig) parmi d'autres. Ces collaborateurs récents sont Rohan de Saram, Joëlle Léandre, Frances-Marie Uitti, Philippe Leroux, Françoise Rivalland et George Lewis.
	Juan Requena guitare flamenca Natif de Malaga en Andalousie, Juan Requena a amorcé sa carrière professionelle de guitariste flamenco dès l'âge de 16 ans. Il acccompagne x.présentement notamment les chanteurs Arcángel, Diego ''El Cigala'', José Valencia, Juan Manzano ''El Coco'', Encarnita Anillo et Duquende ainsi que les danseurs La Moneta, Rafael del Carmen et Domingo Ortega. Compositeur aussi doué que grand virtuose de la guitare, il est impliqué dans la création de nombreux spectacles, dont ''Lucia es nombre de mujer'' de La Tana, Montse Cortés et Chonchi Heredia ainsi que ''Leyenda personal'' qui regroupe le danseur Joaquín Grilo et les chanteurs José Valencia et Carmen Grilo. Il a produit plusieurs disques et a été pendant quelques années directeur musical de la Companía Andaluza de Danza sous la direction de José Antonio Ruiz.
	D.Kimm récitante Artiste interdisciplinaire, D. Kimm dirige l'organisme Les Filles électriques, dont le mandat est de créer des événements artistiques interdisciplinaires et qui produit notamment le Festival Voix d'Amériques, consacré à la performance et au spoken word. Elle a publié quatre recueils poétiques, dont La Suite mongole (accompagné d'un cédérom, Planète rebelle, 2001). Elle a réalisé le disque Le Silence des hommes, en collaboration avec le guitariste Bernard Falaise. Son duo de '' spoken-noise '' Mankind, (avec la performeuse Alexis O'Hara) s'est produit dans différents festivals au Canada (Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville, Edgy Women, Suoni Per Il Popolo) et à l'étranger (Poesie Berlin Festival en Allemagne, Donau en Autriche, Musique Action et Montevideo en France). Elle a aussi réalisé, en collaboration avec le regretté Patrice Duhamel, deux courts métrages : En attendant Corto Maltese (2007) et Si tu veux me garder, tu dois t'éloigner (2008), tous deux présentés au Festival du Nouveau Cinéma. Elle travaille actuellement, en collaboration avec la vidéaste Brigitte Henry, à un projet interdisciplinaire alliant performance et vidéo : La Mariée perpétuelle.
	Misirli Ahmet darbouka Misirli Ahmet was born in 1963 in Ankara,Turkey. He began to play darbuka when he was 17. There was not any musician in his family so he learned how to play drum by himself.He carried on his music life in Ankara until 1987. After a while , he went to France and worked out individually. While he was working ,he discovered his technique which he is using even now and he has improved it. After that he went to Egypt and he worked with famous and momentous musicians of the time.He recorded his first album ''Oriental Dance and Percussion'' (1992) there. He became very famous with his technique,sense of rythm, solos and his philosophy after he came to Istanbul and he accompanied a lot of musician in their albums and songs. After years he turned back to Egypt and he began to work on ''Deholla'' (the bigger one of darbuka) in Sina Desert. He created a new playing technique on deholla. After Sina Desert, he visited Spain and he decided to live there. In Spain he worked on flamenco style and he recorded two albums within two years.In this albums-''Mel de Cabra'' (2000) and ''The Search'' (2001) he performed with Spanish, Jewish and Turkish musicians. Misirli Ahmet appeared in concerts in a lot of country in the world and almost all countries in Europe. In 2003 in Tunisia,within the Euro Med Medimusses project sponsored by European Union,he represented Turkey at a festival in which all percussionists from the Mediterranean Region joined and he aroused attention very much. After that in the album series which was recorded in honour of Mediterranean Great Masters,at the percussion branch,only Misirli Ahmet was worthy of recording a honorary album and with this album- ''Natural Moments''- he was given ''The Master '' degree. In 2006 Misirli Ahmet was awarded ''the Leardership Summit Prize'' which is given by Eduplus annually.
	Mercan Dede DJ Mercan Dede believes that when you put digital, electronic sounds together with hand-made, human ones, you can create universal language, capable of uniting old and young, ancient and modern, East and West. It's a bold claim, but the Turkish-born and Montreal-based musician/producer/DJ has the career and the music to back it up. When he takes the stage with his group Secret Tribe, he hovers at the side behind his turntables and electronics, occasionally picking up a traditional wooden flute, or ney to float in sweet, breathy melodies, while masters of the kanun (zither), clarinet, darbuka (hand drum) and whatever other instruments he's decided to include that night, ornament his grooves and spin magical, trance melodies to match the whirling of the group's spectacular dervish dancer, Mira Burke. Not to mention the many great international artists appear as guest musicians both in his albums and his concerts.
	Kyriakos Kalaitzidis oud Kyriakos Kalaitzidis est né en Thessaloniki en 1969. Dès son enfance, il étudie la musique Byzantine. Il est à ce titre aujourd'hui considéré comme une référence dans la musique ancienne du monde Méditerranéen. Il a commencé à étudier le oud en 1986, en se concentrant tant sur la technique de l'instrument que sa place dans les traditions culturelles du Moyen-Orient. Compositeur et musicien accompli, il est aussi le directeur artistique de En Chordais, un ensemble grec basé à Thessalonique qui travaille depuis de nombreuses années à mettre en valeur la musique grecque et la manière complexe et variée dont elle a été enrichie par d'autres traditions du bassin méditerranéen, qu'elle a enrichies à son tour. Avec En Chordais, son travail est souligné avec le Prix France Musique des Musiques du monde 2008, remis par Radio France and est nominé pour le ''Shariah'', prix de l'UNESCO en 2006.
	Tanya Evanson danseuse dervish Born in Montreal, Canada in 1972, I am a multilingual, Antiguan-Québecoise Lover, Writer, Poet, Spoken Word Artist, Vocalist, Dancer, Teacher and Director of Mother Tongue Media independent production company based in Vancouver BC - a Griotte. I am rooted in poetry. A 1997 graduate of Concordia University's Creative Writing and English Literature program, I have self-published five poetry/prose chapbooks, and my work has appeared in various literary journals and anthologies. I have also judged Canadian art and literary work for the Quebec Writer's Federation, Canada Council for the Arts and City of Vancouver. From five years in university radio to my first Montreal reading in 1995, I now fuse poetry, storytelling, rap and song in English, French, Spanish, Turkish and Yoruba in live performance. I often work with musicians to support my work and have featured at over 100 events in major Canadian cities with highlights at The Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Vancouver International Storytelling Festival, Beats Without Borders, ANU, CBC's ZeD TV and When Sisters Speak in Toronto.
	Hossein Omoumi ney, voix Hossein Omoumi was born in 1944, in Isfahan, Iran, and began his musical education singing with his father. At age 14, he started studying the ney, the traditional reed flute of Iran. While studying architecture, he was accepted as a tutorial student at the National Superior Conservatory of Music in Tehran, and worked with great masters Mahmud Karimi and Farhâd Fakhreddini. He then worked with the great master of ney Hassan Kassâei. Mr. Omoumi's performance career has included appearances at many of major festivals and concert halls in Europe and the United States, including San Francisco's World Music Festival, UCLA's Schoenberg Hall and Wadsworth Theater, the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the World Music Institute and Asia Society in New York, and Theatre de la Ville in Paris. Mr. Omoumi is a noted scholar and teacher of Persian music, having served on the National Conservatory, Tehran University, Center for Conservation and Diffusion of Music (Iran National Television) in Tehran, Center for Oriental Music Studies (CEMO) of Sorbonne University in Paris, the Ethnomusicology departments of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle. He is now Maseeh Professor in Persian Performing Arts of music at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). His research on the making of the ney and Iranian percussions has opened new possibilities and introduced significant innovations to the ney, tombak and daf. Dr. Omoumi graduated from the faculty of Architecture at the National University of Iran with honors and taught there for 10 years after receiving his doctorate degree from the University of Florence, Italy.
	Homayoun Sakhi rubab Né en 1976 dans la capitale afghane, Homayoun Sakhi a apprit la musique avec son père Ghulam Sakhi et son oncle, le célèbre musicien Ustad Mohammad Omar (m.1980). Depuis la Californie où est située son école de musique, il oeuvre à la préservation de ce patrimoine musical. Virtuose brillant imprégné d'une personnalité musicale charismatique, Homayoun Sakhi a développé un style musical qui allie toute la richesse de la musique afghane au mysticisme et à la précision de la musique classique du Nord de l'Inde.
	José-Angel Gutierrez requinto, voice A remarkable figure of the Son Jarocho, José-Angel Gutierrez has performed on the most important stages in Mexico as well as in prestigious festivals in France and United States. Heir of one the most outstanding figures of Son, Sg. Arcadio Hidalgo, he co-founded the group Mono Blanco and was a member of the group Negro directed by Salvador Ojeda. A composer, writer, musician and talented singer, he recently founded the group AL GOLPE DEL GUATIME, which has been invited to play in various festivals, including Cumbres de Garonna in Bordeaux and Encuentro de Jaraneros in Los Angeles, USA. AL GOLPE DEL GUATIME recently published its debut album on the European label Winter&Winter.
	Teresita de Jesus Islas jarana, voice Teresita de Jesus Islas is a dancer, singer and instrumentalist of the jarana (a small Mexican guitar). She has been participating in the Jarocho music movement for nearly twenty years, both as an interpreter and composer, and she has appeared on many stages in Mexico and abroad. Partner in life with Jose Angel Gutierrez, she is also a member of AL GOLPE DEL GUATIME. Besides her involvement with the renewal of the Son Jarocho, Teresita de Jesus Islas is pursuing a career as a painter and poet.
	Saeed Kamjoo kamancheh, vielle Saeed Kamjoo is a composer and player of Kamancheh (bowed spike-fiddle), whose creativity finely combines authenticity and innovation. Even though his music has its roots in the tradition; it also allows itself to explore the new.His innovative approach towards the playing of Kamanche is based on his perception of values inherent in Persian art music. He searches new idioms while performing and developing his music, by using the ornamentation of Persian classical music to discover new possibilities. Read more...
	©2010 Constantinople info@constantinople.ca 428, Rachel Est Montréal (Québec) H2J 2G7 Canada