Kiya Tabassian, setar, voice & artistic direction
Born in 1976, Teheran, Iran. At age 14, Kiya Tabassian emigrated with his family to Quebec, bringing with him a background in ancient Persian music (setar and vocals) and the beginnings of a career in Iran. Determined to become a musician, composer and historical torchbearer, he continued his self-taught training in Persian music, meeting frequently with Reza Gassemi and Kayhan Kalhor. At the same time, he studied composition at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal with Gilles Tremblay and Michel Gonneville. After years of professional activities, he co-founded Constantinople with Mike Cole and his brother Ziya in 1998. The ensemble’s aim was to draw upon the musical heritage of mediaeval and Renaissance Europe, Mediterranean and Middle East.
Kiya has performed on stages throughout the world, and collaborated on highly eclectic projects as a composer, performer and improviser. These include regular collaborations with Radio-Canada since 1996; an active involvement from 2002 to 2005 in the international MediMuses project researching the history and repertoire of Mediterranean music, and in several publishing and recording initiatives; musical collaborations since 2009 with the Atlas Ensemble (Holland), with the Atlas Academy as a tutor, and on a project linking contemporary music with oral traditions.
Numerous musical groups and institutions have called upon his talents as a composer, including the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne and the Union Européenne de Radio-Télévision. He has also composed music for documentary and feature films, including Jabaroot and Voices of the Unheard.
Since September 2005, he has been a member of the Conseil des arts de Montréal (where he was Chairman of the Music Committee for three years). His artistic research and creation receives the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Council des arts et des lettres du Québec.
Born in 1976, Teheran, Iran. At age 14, Kiya Tabassian emigrated with his family to Quebec, bringing with him a background in ancient Persian music (setar and vocals) and the beginnings of a career in Iran. Determined to become a musician, composer and historical torchbearer, he continued his self-taught training in Persian music, meeting frequently with Reza Gassemi and Kayhan Kalhor. At the same time, he studied composition at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal with Gilles Tremblay and Michel Gonneville. After years of professional activities, he co-founded Constantinople with Mike Cole and his brother Ziya in 1998. The ensemble’s aim was to draw upon the musical heritage of mediaeval and Renaissance Europe, Mediterranean and Middle East.
Kiya has performed on stages throughout the world, and collaborated on highly eclectic projects as a composer, performer and improviser. These include regular collaborations with Radio-Canada since 1996; an active involvement from 2002 to 2005 in the international MediMuses project researching the history and repertoire of Mediterranean music, and in several publishing and recording initiatives; musical collaborations since 2009 with the Atlas Ensemble (Holland), with the Atlas Academy as a tutor, and on a project linking contemporary music with oral traditions.
Numerous musical groups and institutions have called upon his talents as a composer, including the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne and the Union Européenne de Radio-Télévision. He has also composed music for documentary and feature films, including Jabaroot and Voices of the Unheard.
Since September 2005, he has been a member of the Conseil des arts de Montréal (where he was Chairman of the Music Committee for three years). His artistic research and creation receives the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Council des arts et des lettres du Québec.
