Parasite Village

The Trickster Orchestra brings together soloists in a collective of transcultural avant-garde music. Under the direction of Cymin Samawatie and Ketan Bhatti, the orchestra transforms traditional European, West, Central and East Asian instruments as well as younger instruments such as electronics into a common contemporary musical language.

Cymin Samawatie is a singer, pianist, conductor and composer of contemporary music. With her quartet Cyminology, she combines chamber jazz with Persian lyricism. With the Trickster Orchestra, which she has conducted since 2013, she and Ketan Bhatti pursue concept-based compositional methods that bring improvisation and imitation into different musical languages and traditions, creating interdisciplinary, trans-traditional musical languages.

Cymin Samawatie has composed and conducted works for projects including the Berlin Philharmonic, Osnabrück Morgenland Festival, Divan Berlin Istanbul, Neuköllner Oper, Komische Oper Berlin, Elbphilharomie Hamburg and Aalto-Theater Essen.

Her artistic work has been honoured with the German Jazz Award 2022, the Berlin Jazz Award 2022, the Tonali Award 2022 and the main prize RUTH 2018, among others. Cymin Samawatie was a scholarship holder at the Tarabya Cultural Academy in 2018.

Hezarfen Ensemble, founded in 2010 by Ulrich Mertin and Michael Ellison, is the first professional contemporary music ensemble in Turkey. Internationally recognised for its high-profile performances of contemporary music, it is above all the energy and vitality of this Istanbul-based group that has brought Hezarfen increasing recognition.

With projects ranging from trio (Word and Sound) to interdisciplinary chamber opera (Deniz Küstü and Say I am You) and Music of Displacement, Hezarfen has profoundly influenced music in Turkey and changed the face of contemporary music in its home country, while the infectious energy of its performances has earned the ensemble acclaim in its appearances at festivals across Europe.

Hezarfen works with projects that facilitate intercultural exchange, encourage diverse artistic and musical encounters and increasingly challenge notions of separate cultures or traditions. Hezarfen was awarded “Best Chamber Music Ensemble” by Andante Magazine (Turkey) in 2012. In addition to its long-term commitment to improving the awareness and accessibility of contemporary music and artistic endeavours to audiences in Turkey, the ensemble provides advanced training for the best new generation of musicians through workshops and collaborations with internationally renowned conductors and members of Klangforum Wien, MusikFabrik Köln and other elite international musicians and ensembles. The Hezarfen Ensemble has been ensemble-in-residence at MIAM, the Department of Music at Istanbul Technical University in Istanbul, since 2010. With its annual projects at various universities and festivals for young composers, such as the MIAM Composers Project and the Hezarfen Bilkent Academy, the Hezarfen Ensemble focuses on nurturing and educating young, highly talented musicians and composers. With signature projects ranging from trio (Word and Sound) to interdisciplinary chamber opera (Deniz Küstü and Say I am You) and Music of Displacement, Hezarfen has had a profound impact on music in Turkey and changed the face of contemporary music in its home country, while the infectious energy of its performances has earned the ensemble acclaim in its appearances at festivals across Europe.   

Key performances abroad have included MärzMusik (Berlin, 2013), Rotterdam Operadagen (2012), Divan Project (Berlin and Istanbul, 2018), Klangzeit Festival Münster (2013), Essen Capital of Culture (2010), GHI, Rome (2016) and Trieste Prima Festival (2015).  In his home country, Hezarfen regularly performs at Istanbul Music Festival (2011, 2012, 2016, 2021), Borusan Music House (2010-2020), BAUART & Yapı Kredi (2018), Akbank Sanat (2011), Boğaziçi Unive

The Omnibus Ensemble is the first contemporary music group in Central Asia, founded in 2004 by group of musical enthusiasts under artistic leadership by composer, conductor and theatre director Artyom Kim. For almost two decades the ensemble is performing the key role for concert, scientific and educational activities in the field for academic contemporary and traditional music in the region. The series of collaborative projects with outstanding musicians of different musical cultures from all over the world has gained for the group its world-wide recognition as a connector between East and West, tradition and innovation.

In 2019 the Omnibus Ensemble received the prestigious international Aga Khan Music Award for Education.