Artur Zeqiri : Albanian, Violin, singing
Nicolas Lescombe : Bordeaux – Clarinet, arrangement and coordination
Ebrahim Ahmadi : Kurdish – Daf and vocals
Thomas Mazellier : Bordeaux – Beat maker and violin
Yamen Al Yamani : Syrian – Cello
Without speaking the same language, but finding in music an ideal means of communication, the five musicians of Miksi got to know each other during a first residence at the Rocher de Palmer in 2020. Brought together by the European project Migrants Music Manifesto, they drew up a first repertoire inspired by traditional Albanian, Kurdish or Syrian pieces and now form a solid, luminous, virtuoso group that transports us into a world where borders are collapsing, where dialogue between peoples is finally possible.
The aim of the project was to bring together refugee musicians (who had left their country and their profession as musicians) and professional musicians who were involved in the local cultural life.
From the very first meeting, the five members of the group communicated a lot: “We didn’t speak the same language but we were so eager to exchange and learn about our histories, our cultures and our music. We met before each rehearsal to share a moment over a meal and get to know each other. “Miksi” (which means “to mix” in Esperanto) seemed to us to be the right word to represent us.
Miksi and her cellist Yamen Al Yamani have set up a project to make the Iranian stringed instrument gheychak in order to preserve their cultural and musical heritage.
This gheychak has just been completed and handed over to Yamen a few weeks ago. The luthier, who travelled from Iran, will be present at the Garage Moderne during this concert.
From classical music to traditional or world music, the link between a musician and his instrument tells an intimate story that knows no boundaries.
« S’emparer d’un instrument n’est jamais un geste anodin… Reste à savoir ce qu’on en fait. » (R.Lambert & E.Pieiller – Monde diplomatique juin 2020)
