Montreal-based ensemble brings its cross-cultural concert Traversées to the Winnipeg Art Gallery this Friday
For centuries, the city of Constantinople—modern-day Istanbul—has stood as a vibrant meeting point of continents and cultures. Once the beating heart of empires Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman, it was where East met West, where the Silk Road fed a rich tapestry of trade, ideas, and art. This Friday night at 7:30pm at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the echoes of that ancient city will resound once more, courtesy of a concert that lives and breathes cross-cultural collaboration.
The Montreal-based ensemble Constantinople returns to Winnipeg on April 25 with Traversées, a sonic voyage that blends traditions from across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Presented by Virtuosi Concerts, the performance features Persian setar, West African kora, rich vocal harmonies and intricate percussion—all converging into a lush, living soundscape.
A vision of musical meeting places
At the heart of the ensemble is artistic director Kiya Tabassian, a setar player and vocalist whose musical vision anchors the group. Over Zoom from Montreal, Tabassian spoke about the ensemble’s origins, its approach to collaboration, and the deep human connection at the core of their work.
Constantinople was founded in 2001, but the idea behind it took shape a few years earlier. “From the beginning, it was always about meeting—musicians meeting one another, music meeting other traditions, people meeting through sound,” said Tabassian. “That metaphor of Constantinople as a crossroads, a place where cultures encountered one another—that was our foundation.”
He’s the only original member still with the group, now 25 years into its journey. While he steers the artistic direction, the ensemble constantly evolves, drawing in musicians from across the globe. Longtime collaborators include percussionist Patrick Graham and Senegalese kora master Ablaye Cissoko, who will both join Tabassian onstage in Winnipeg.
From Tehran to Canada with a stringed companion
Born in Tehran, Tabassian moved to Canada with his family at 14. Before that, he discovered the setar—an ancient Persian lute with a delicate, contemplative sound—at the age of 11 during a concert in Iran. “My father took me and my brother to a show, and I just fell in love with the sound of this instrument,” he recalled. “After the concert, I insisted on meeting the musician, and a week later I began taking lessons from him.”
That early passion became a lifelong pursuit. Tabassian practised relentlessly, not just learning traditional repertoire but composing new works of his own from a young age. “Even as a kid, I was always trying to create. I wasn’t just copying; I wanted to express something personal with this instrument.”
The setar itself is small and slender, with a long neck and movable frets that allow for the nuanced microtones essential to Persian classical music. Though its name translates to “three strings,” most modern setars—including Tabassian’s—have four, a historical tweak made by a 20th-century musician who doubled the third string.
A griot’s gift: collaboration with Ablaye Cissoko
While the setar brings the music of ancient Persia to the mix, the 21-string kora roots the ensemble’s sound in West Africa. “It’s like a harp,” Tabassian explained, “but also its own thing entirely.” The instrument is traditionally played by griots, hereditary musicians and oral historians who have passed their art down through generations. “They were the messengers between the people and the kings,” he said. “They carried the stories, the wisdom, the soul of the society.”
Ablaye Cissoko, one of today’s foremost kora players, is descended from a long line of griots. Tabassian first heard his music on a solo album called Le Griot Rouge. “The first time I listened, I knew—this is the sound I’ve been imagining. This is the musician I want to create with.”
Their collaboration began over a decade ago and has since included hundreds of concerts, two albums and an enduring friendship. “We’ve travelled together, composed together, shared so much. That’s what Traversées is about—the crossings, the shared journey.”
The rhythm that binds
Rounding out the trio is percussionist Patrick Graham, whose inventive playing brings depth and cohesion to the ensemble’s ever-shifting textures. “Patrick is the glue,” said Tabassian. “He listens so deeply, always responding to what’s happening in the moment. He’s not just keeping rhythm; he’s weaving everything together.”
Much of the music performed by Constantinople is composed collaboratively. Some pieces begin with a melody brought by one musician; others grow out of improvisation and dialogue. “We like to leave space for spontaneity,” said Tabassian. “Improvisation lets us challenge each other on stage, surprise each other. It keeps the music alive.”
The magic of live performance
What unites their work is a shared commitment to deep listening—between instruments, between traditions, and between performers and their audiences.
“This is an aural tradition,” he said. “We don’t follow written scores. We’re constantly listening, reacting. The audience is part of that too—they shape the music with their energy.”
That kind of connection is especially important in a live setting. “Every concert is different. Even if we play the same piece, it changes based on the room, the people, the feeling in the air. We try to bring the audience into the journey with us.”
A concert rooted in communion
Traversées invites listeners to take that journey—to travel across continents and centuries through sound. For Tabassian, the concert is not just about performance, but communion.
“We’ve played over 300 concerts with this project in cities all over the world,” he said. “Each one is unique, but they’re all connected. This music carries traces of every place we’ve been and every person we’ve met.”
It’s been over a decade since Constantinople last performed in Winnipeg, and Tabassian is looking forward to reconnecting with audiences here. “Some people may remember us from years ago—maybe with more grey hair now,” he said with a laugh. “And I hope there will be some new faces too.”
Whether you’re a returning fan or a first-time listener, the message is clear: this is music that brings people together.
Constantinople perform this Friday night at 7:30pm at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
For more details on Constantinople's Performance click here.
