It’s 3 weeks since the London A Cappella Festival and we already can’t wait to be back at Kings Place in June for the Songlines Encounters Festival 2014 from 5-7 June. With our co-curators Songlines magazine we’ve programmed a fantastic line-up featuring artists from Venezuela, Turkey, Iran, West Africa, Romania and the UK.
Like a string of pearls, 2014’s Songlines Encounters Festival hangs on a thread of glorious female vocalists: Çiğdem Aslan brings gorgeous songs from Asia Minor, Luzmira Zerpa of Family Atlantica brings Venezuelan flamboyance and Oana Cătălina Chiţu brings the lyrical Romanian repertoire of Maria Tănase to life. Beside them, there is the electrifying violin of Anna Phoebe, virtuoso instrumentals from Kayhan Kalhor and the great Malian singer Habib Koité. Sublime voices and, as ever, thrilling instrumental encounters with Persian kamancheh, Malian kamalengoni, Romanian cimbalom and its Persian brother the santur. Plus, prior to his performance kamancheh master Kayhan Kalhor talks to Simon Broughton about the music and events that have inspired his music and demonstrates his specially commissioned instrument, the Shah Kaman.
For full details of the line-up, videos and booking information visit the Kings Place website here. Don’t forget that if you’re a Songlines
Oana Cătălina Chiţu’s performance is kindly supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute London and the cimbalom is generously provided by the Embassy of Hungary in London. Habib Koité performs in collaboration with Enchanted Tunes.subscriber we offer a subscriber discount for tickets – have a look at Issue 98’s carrier sheet for details or get in touch with Edward on subs@songlines.co.uk to find out more.
