The show will be the world premiere of a large scale composition: "The Keepers of the Flame". The main structural pillars of the piece were composed by world-famous musicians Kathleen Tagg (piano, South Africa) and David Krakauer (clarinet, USA). That music was then fleshed out during an intensive collaborative workshop period at Krasnagruda that incorporated contributions from the Klezmer Orchestra of the Sejny Theater under the direction of Wojciech Szroeder and special guests: Shadi Al Maghrabi (oud, Syria-Germany), Jehad Jazbeh (violin, Syria-Germany), Youssef Nasif (kanun, Syria-Germany), Mykhaylo "Manu" Balogh (saxophone, Ukraine-Poland).
The Invisible Bridge Orchestra is an artistic response to the challenges of the modern world, which demands a culture of solidarity in response to the threat of deepening social and cultural divisions. Its creative potential comes from the band's encounter with the artistic explorations of David Krakauer, who invited the outstanding South African pianist and composer Kathleen Tagg, and in the music and life experience of musicians who have experienced the fate of exile and wander.
Kathleen Tagg is a multi-faceted musician forging a unique path by moving seamlessly between genres and roles. Based in New York since 2001, the South African pianist, composer and producer has performed on 4 continents in leading venues such as Carnegie Hall, had her original music performed in venues such as New York’s Lincoln Center, appeared on a host of recordings of classical, world music and multi-genre recordings and produced numerous recordings and inter-disciplinary programs from South Africa to Los Angeles. Her work has been released on record labels NAXOS, Table Pounding Records, Ossia Records and Gallo Africa.
Studies were at the University of Cape Town, Mannes College of Music and the Manhattan School of Music in New York, which awarded her the Helen Cohn Award as the outstanding Doctoral graduate, and where she taught for four years. In 2014 she was appointed to the faculty of SongFest in Los Angeles in 2014, and she was a 2014-15 Fellow of the Dramatist Guild of America.
She has performed with artists such as David Krakauer, Paquito D’Rivera, Matt Haimovitz, Kinan Azmeh, Kevork Mourad, SongFusion Jnai Brugger and Regina Zona. Commissions include the Suidooster Festival for the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, David Krakauer and the Jewish Culture Fest Vienna. Her full-length musical, Erika’s Wall, created with Sophie Jaff, received its premiere run in Chicago in 2010 by The Music Theater Company under the direction of Jessica Redish. She is a proud member of ASCAP, the Dramatist Guild of America and Chamber Music America.
Jehad Jazbeh (Aleppo/Syria 1985)
(2003-2010) Jehad was a member of the "Syrian National Symphony Orchestra" and the "National Orchestra of Arabic Music" in Damascus. Since 2013 he lives in Germany.
He played his own compositions as a solo player on many famous stages such as: Berliner Philharmonie (Kulturforum), Konzerthaus Berlin, Live Konserthus Malmö, Yehudi Menuhin forum Bern, Bozar Brussels, Sendesaal Bremen..
He was the Concertmaster of many orchestras or projects as: Syrian Expat Philharmonic Orchestra, Morgenland Chamber Orchestra, Concert of Europe Orchestra, Stueba Philharmonie, Arab youth Philharmonic orchestra..
He performed with many singers, bands or orchestras in very famous festivals such as: Elbphilharmonie Festival, Roskilde Festival, Aarhus Jazz Festival, Holland Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Royal Festival, Morgenland Festival, Berlinale festival, Weimar Arts Festival, Istanbul Jazz Festival.
He has performed "Mozart Clarinet quintet" side by side with the great cellist Yo-Yo Ma in The American Academy in Berlin.
Founding member of ''Damascus String Quintet" which presents works of Syrian composers.
Jehad has a good experience in the oriental improvisation and composition, as he has played with many famous musicians and singers or recorded in their albums such as: Fairouz, Ziad AlRahbani, Marcel Khalifa, Majida Al-Roumi.
Shadi Al Moghrabi is Oud player, graduated from the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus in 2008 . During and after study he Has participated in many concerts , was a member of the Syrian Oriental Orchestra in Damascus and took part in a number of concerts at the Syrian Opera House, in churches and old traditional houses. He moved to Germany In 2015 where he has participated in many concerts with different orchestras ( Berlin Symphoniker Orchestra and German composer Nicolas Ruegenber, Berlin Philharmonic, Wismar Orchestra). Now he is a member of a music project in France called "Ohrpheus" with the Spanish Musician Jordi Savall.
Youssef Nasif, kanun player and composer, has studied kanun and piano at the Academy of Music in Damascus. During his studies he gave concerts in Syria, Tunisia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. For about 4 years he lived in Germany and has since Germany and Europe had appearances. In 2015 he presented his new album with his own compositions (Man's Journey). He performs both as a solo artist as well as in small ensembles or orchestras. He has performed, among others at the Festival of Contemporary Music in Warsaw, at the music festival in Weimar with the Stüba Philharmonic Orchestra, with Brüssels Jazz Orchester and at the European Commission.
Michael "Manu" Balogh has always been able to tap the deepest of emotions in the subtlest of ways, creating overarching narratives that go far beyond mere collections of discrete pieces. With refference points ranging from Jon Hassel to Brian Eno's ambient work and the neo-classical, Balog uses sound as much as melody to create a series of tone poems where virtuosity is irrelevant and the vast, resonate potential of texture is a paramount. A beauty steepend in melancholy pervades the set, even where there's a clear rhytm. The texturat breath and experimental nature of HYMN being a curious confluence of layered and processes saxophones, live sampling and synthesized colors - is most remarkable for its ability, at times, to approach silecne while still being filled with sound.
