Constantinople: Clair-obscur

Concert

Between sea and mountains, between modes and polyphony — Clair-obscur is born of the desire for deeper dialogue on the part both of the musicians of Constantinople and the singers of A Filetta, the preeminent ensemble of Corsican polyphony. They have created a poetic and musical suite, mixing polyphonies created by the well-versed singers of A Filetta with songs and tunes composed and arranged by Kiya Tabassian. A profoundly touching concert.

REPERTOIRE – French only

Artists

Constantinople
Constantinople is a musical ensemble that has chosen to make travel its foundation – geographical, historical, cultural, and internal travel – drawing from all sources and aiming for distant horizons. Taking its name from the ancient city that served as a beacon bridging the East and the West, the ensemble was conceived in Montreal in 2001 as a space for encounters and cross-cultural exchanges by its artistic director, Kiya Tabassian.

Since then, the ensemble has continually explored pathways, much like a seasoned traveler: from medieval manuscripts to contemporary aesthetics, from the Mediterranean Europe to the East, traversing the open spaces of the baroque New World.

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Kiya Tabassian, Setar and Artistic Direction (Constantinople)
Renowned for his mastery of the setar and acclaimed as a composer, Kiya Tabassian has carved out a privileged place on the international music scene with his ensemble Constantinople, as well as in his solo career. A virtuoso in musical cross-pollination and collaborations, he travels across five continents to present his creations and music on stages worldwide.

He has been involved in numerous eclectic projects as a composer, performer, or improviser, including collaborations with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the international project MediMuses, and the ensembles Atlas and the Atlas Academy (Netherlands). Many musical formations and institutions have sought his talents as a composer, including the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Nouvel Ensemble Modern, Bradyworks, and the European Broadcasting Union.

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A Filetta
A Filetta’s music is a journey… It could be said that it is a polyphonic and vocal proposal which is challenging, audacious and contemporary, even though coming from a powerful oral tradition.

In 1978, a group of very young people, including teenagers driven by a strong will to contribute to the protection of a declining oral heritage — started their journey… This journey has been long, sometimes sinuous but always punctuated by discoveries and wonderful encounters. Therefore, the singers gladly confess that “the encounter” is written in their musical DNA. This probably explains why they have never wanted to limit this journey to the perimeter of their roots: encouraged by the tradition they inherited, they quickly opened to others.

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