Transcestral
(COLLABORATION)
...
Transcestral represents transmission, ancestral memories, and musical creation. Echoing celebrations of Pow Wow and sacred dances from around the world, the performance collaboration reflects our collective desire to connect with one another, with spirit and with the earth.

Transcestral is an on-going collaborative project that bridges the cultural musical lineages of Canada’s First Peoples with various world music lineages, including Sufi, Syrian and Gnawa, in a semi-improvised exchange.

Oktoécho (led by Katia Makdissi-Warren) joins nistamîkwan (led by Moe Clark) to co-artistic direct Transcestral: a musical journey that defies convention. As collaborators, the success of their shared vision continues to grow, awakening further exploration into the dynamics of breath, pulse and lyrical flight. Bridging musicians and artists from diverse cultural lineages and territories, Transcestral dissolves borders. Musicians, poets and dancers connect to infuse the performance environment with magic and mystery, inviting audiences into heightened states of presence and invocation.

I.


Transcestral @ Cinquième Salle on November 3, 2016. Presented in the festival du Monde Arabe in partnership with oktoécho and nistamîkwan this highly celebrated performance brings to life the voices of cultures as they converge in music and movement.

For this incarnation Transcestral collaborates with La Maison de la Syrie to focus awareness and honour Syrian collaborators and community whom have relocated to Montreal in search of refuge and home. Featuring collaborations with artists, Eya-Hey Nakoda Pow Wow drum group, Innu poet & elder Joséphine Bacon, Sufi singer Anouar Barrada, Syrian oüd player Nazih Borish, Moroccan vocalist Laila Gouchi, and more.

II.


Transcestral Incantation presented an enchanted evening of music, poetry and dance to a full house @ Monument National. A continuum of the inaugural Transcestral performance, this incarnation began a collaboration with Syrian master oud player, Nazih Borish and Moroccan vocalist Laila Gouchi. Presented by Théâtre la Chapelle as part of their series: “Raotihón:tsa – Focus on First Nations’ contemporary creation” on April 16th, 2016.

III.


Transcestral world premier brought together 24 artists from across the world in a trance inducing performance that honoured the wheel of existence. Arriving from Morocco, master ney player, Rachid Zeroual joined his improvised flute illuminations alongside sacred Sufi vocalist Anouar Barrada. Hailing from the Stoney Nakoda Nation in the rocky mountains, the Eya-Hey pow wow drum group joined their deep earth rhythms with the visceral throat singing of Nina Segalowitz and poetry of Innu elder Josephine Bacon. Presented by the First Peoples’ Festival to celebrate their 25th Anniversary on August 2nd, 2015.