About
Naoussa-born Klarino player Stavros Pazarentsis descends from a family of folk musicians and has a playing style that is steeped in the many greek Klarino traditions. For this ensemble, he composed the pieces “nostalgia“ and “naoussa“. His taksims are formative poetic solo moments while he works as a studio musician ...
World Music/Traditional | Jazz
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Many Languages, One Soul; Balkan Clarinet Summit
Balkan Clarinet Summit brings together local and international clarinet masters to combine, contrast, and mix the fascinating variety of the balkan clarinet playing with the interpretive culture of both classical and jazz traditions.
The clarinet is the most popular instrument in South Eastern Europe besides the violin, yet numerous divergent performance techniques have emerged from area to area.
Goethe-Institut Athina director Wolfgang Pöhlmann had the original idea which was then picked up by the Goethe-HQ in Munich. Claudio Puntin and Steffen Schorn were brought on board as musical directors. Claudio then went on a two month search for the right artists, seeking local masters who are rooted in tradition but are still flexible enough to work with colleagues from different musical heritages.
The next step was to compile the repertoire for the project. Every musician provided 2 to 4 traditional pieces of their own compositions. Steffen and Claudio then made the arrangements for this unusual acapella formation. Rehearsals proved tricky at first as finding ways to balance and complement the varied means and ways of adaptation was an art in and of itself! The project then came together beautifully over 3 concerts in September 2012 in Athina, Braśov and Thessaloniki. The outstanding feedback led the group to hit the road for more concerts in December, performing in Sofia, Beograd, Novi Sad, Sarajevo, Zagreb, Ankara, istanbul, izmir and again in Athina.
The story thus far has been captured on this live-CD as well as a film, directed by Horacio Alcala. Both convey this extraordinary collaboration and are a moving testimony of artistic understanding beyond style definitions and national borders. The story will hopefully continue...