In this playful concert, musical traditions from the Middle East are freely blended with contemporary jazz. Singer Sanem Kalfa, percussionist Háshem Kabreet and 16 young musicians take you on a musical journey full of unexpected musical encounters. Eight students from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and eight musicians from the Middle East present brand-new repertoire that they created on the spot in two days under the direction of Sanem Kalfa and Háshem Kabreet. 

Sanem Kalfa is a Turkish singer with a distinctive style, mixing jazz, improvisation, and world music into a powerful blend of emotions. After studying cello, she moved from Turkey to the Netherlands to study singing. During her studies she won several awards, including the 1st Prize Shure Montreux Jazz Vocal Competition presided by Quincy Jones. In 2014 she released her debut album “Nehir”. She released her second album “DANCE” as a duo with George Dumitriu in May 2018. Sanem kalfa was born in Turkey and is currently based in Amsterdam, performing worldwide and pleased to teach music to students (from any age and background). Her main aim is to be a part of an experience that will help enriching life by music. 

Háshem Kabreet is a passionate percussionist, handpan player, composer and bandleader. Born in Syria, he worked in Lebanon and Dubai and now lives and works in the Netherlands as artistic coordinator at Orchestre Partout and bandleader of ÁMÀL Ensemble. In Syria and Beirut he developed a rich foundation in Arabic and Middle Eastern music. He masters a wide range of percussion instruments, including daf, riq, darbouka, cajón, djembé and hybrid drum kit.