Ensemble
Chakâm

Ensemble Chakâm, named after an ancient Persian poetic form, unveils a language of conversing strings, delicate prose and confronting verses resolving into a powerful breath, at times laying a peaceful harmony for words to triumph. The ensemble weaves the radiance of Sogol Mirzaei‘s tar (Iran) with the silk touch of Christine Zayed‘s qanun (Palestine), on the profound tones of Marie-Suzanne de Loye‘s viola da gamba (France).

Drawing upon the classical foundations of Persian, Arabic and Baroque repertoires, where intense rhythmic sections give way to vibrant melodious tirades, the performances of Chakam resonate with personal, authentic yet modern compositions entwined with soulful improvisations.

Eventually, the trio is a meeting at the crossroads of journeys: a yearning for lands left too soon, uprootedness and the memories of places that vanish but in the music, yet also the relentless vitality of experience, discovery and rebirth.

Since its inception in 2019, Chakam Ensemble is shining with lightning ascension in France, rewarded with the well-deserved Diaspora Music Awards in 2023.