Although they all belong to the same big Turkish-Arabic-Persian family, the music of the peoples of the vast Near and Middle-East region abound with diversity within their specific characteristics. Enriching their repertoire with their differences, four major artists from this part of the world will come together to perform two concerts at the musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac and pass on their message of peace and dialogue.

Composer, author and musicologist, Kudsi Ergüner, has inherited a long-standing tradition and is a master
of Mevlevi and one of the most famous ney players in his country. As a UNESCO artist for peace, he has given concerts worldwide and works to bring forgotten musical heritage back to life. He will be joined on stage by one of the many artists with whom he has collaborated, Waed Bouhassoun.

The oud player Waed Bouhassoun is pursuing her international career, and uses her talent as a musician and her singular, deep voice to explore a repertoire of music from the South of Syria that is filled with a poetic mysticism. She was trained within the Jordi Savall ensemble in dialogue
with different types of music, and increasingly works with artists who, like her, seek to highlight a traditional repertoire and its transmission.

Ruşan Filiztek, who originates from Diyarbakir, is a Turkish bard with a high voice that carries. He sings in a direct, generous style that is accompanied by a long-necked lute, the divan saz, as he excels at the baglama, the lute of the Anatolian bards, and the jumbush, much used in the popular music of Turkey and Northern Syria. Neşet Kutas, born in Izmir, accompanies him on percussion (daf, rec, bendir, davul). He is known for his precise and elegant mastery of many Middle-Eastern rhythms. They are both members of the Orpheus XXI ensemble, assembled by Jordi Savall and led by Waed Bouhassoun, who passes on their musical tradition to uprooted children.

A talk with the musicians is scheduled for after the two concerts.

Concert produced by the Maison des Cultures du Monde – CFPCI as part of the 22^nd Festival de l’Imaginaire, in collaboration with the musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac