It was in 2013 that Tristan Driessens (Belgium) and Michalis Kouloumis (Cyprus) met during a stay in Venice, where they were part of an ensemble led by Kudsi Erguner. Eight years later, their paths cross again, when Tristan invites the violinist to participate in his new collective Toasaves, which explores the links between oriental music and Flemish medieval song. From this experience is born the desire to collaborate more closely in order to deepen their affinities. Both musicians are considered young masters in the field of Ottoman classical music, although they were not born into this tradition. What is more, they have in common that they are guided by an insatiable desire to constantly explore new horizons. As a result, their respective universes are characterized by a remarkable musical versatility.

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For this concert, Tristan Driessens and Michalis Kouloumis take as a starting point their common love for Istanbul makam and all the variations that result from it. They offer a repertoire made up of traditional works and new compositions inspired by the wide range of oriental traditions that they have studied throughout their career: the Ottoman makam, but also folk music from Greece and Cyprus and the Iranian dastgah. All of these influences provide the basis for a rich idiom known as 'contemporary modal music'.

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Tristan Driessens and Michalis Kouloumis will be assisted by German percussionist Ruven Ruppik , widely appreciated as one of the great masters of oriental percussion of his generation.