Cultural crossroads: music from Armenia and Turkey between tradition and modernity

Description

The Boghossian Foundation invites six musicians from Turkey, Armenia, France and Belgium in residency. At the end of their stay, a unique concert, combining current and traditional Armenian and Turkish music, will be organized at the Villa Empain.

Including a Turkish saz, an Armenian duduk, an electric violin and analog synthesizers, this eclectic artistic universe will express, with passion, energy and empathy, personal and social themes common to all. In this unprecedented ensemble, music provides a universal medium for artistic dialogue between women from diverse cultural backgrounds, at once artists and committed citizens, singing emancipation and freedom.

Musicians
Caroline Cuzin (France): Violin and voice
Ezgi Elkirmıs (Turkey): Darbuka, percussion and voice
Seval Eroglu (Turkey): Saz and voice
Léa Kadian: bass
Carole Marque-Bouaret (France): Clarinet, duduk and voice
Sevana Tchakerian (Armenia/France): Voice, piano and accordion

Malika El Barkani: sound engineer

Plateforme 50 is a Belgian association created in the framework of the fiftieth anniversary of Turkish immigration in Belgium. It works to promote cultural diversity and intercultural encounters in Brussels. 

Yerkir is a Franco-Armenian NGO, which works in Turkey and the Caucasus to develop cultural, inter-cultural and conflict resolution programmes as well as preserve intangible heritage and Armenian identity.

By inviting female musicians from Turkey, Armenia, France and Belgium to residences for collaborative creation, Music Action Lab Women serves as a vehicle for dialogue and openness between populations that lack opportunities to meet and exchange.

Caroline Cuzin (France)
From the Lyon Conservatory, Caroline Cuzin has diversified her range with contemporary and world music. We have heard her already alongside -M-, Laurent Garnier, and Mano Solo.

Ezgi Elkirmıs (Turkey)
Percussionist from Kars, she studied the darbuka (goblet drum) with virtuoso master Mısırlı Ahmet and is one of the rare darbuka players in Turkey.

Seval Eroglu (Turkey)
A teacher at the Istanbul Conservatory, from Arguvan (Malatya). Seval Eroglu is a saz player and singer who specializes in popular and traditional songs.

Léa Kadian (Belgium)
Originally from Brussels, Léa Kadian graduated from the Antwerp Conservatory of Music with a degree in jazz guitar. She plays in many projects as a guitarist and bassist in various styles: groove, pop, electronic, soul, jazz fusion…

Carole Marque-Bouaret (France/)
A clarinettist and singer, with her Armenian origins she is passionate about Turkish and Armenian music. She trained in Turkey in the Turkish clarinet and in Armenia with the duduk.

Sevana Tchakerian (France/Armenia)
With a classical training in piano and singing, Sevana has immersed herself in traditional Armenian music. Based in Yerevan, Armenia, she creates different musical groups, merging French hip-hop with Armenian music.