| About
Okotécho guides the listener into a sonic world brimming with hope, aspiration, and lyricism found in the exceptional interlude between the Middle East, Arboriginal and the West. Under the artistic direction of composer Katia Makdissi-Warren, Okotécho explores mixed music and musical sounds through its own compositions.
| Eponymous album
At the crossroads of the Middle East and the West, OktoEcho offers a modern reading of free trade through music…
Under the artistic direction of the composer Katia Makdissi-Warren, OktoEcho consists of 13 improviser-musicians of international calibre…
Each member contributes – through his or her experience and cultural background (world music, classical, jazz, etc.) – to a multicultural melding creating a new musical language.
For performances scheduled for Fall 2011 and Winter 2012 (the production is presented as part of the Montreal Arts Council Tour event), an animated video created by illustrator and comic artist JEIK Dion will be screened on stage. In addition, JEIK will do live drawing (speed painting) on two pieces of the program of his choice, making each concert unique.
As part of the touring Montreal Arts Council event, OktoEcho presents the eponymous production six times during the 2011-2012 season.
Artists
• Conductor : Katia Makdissi-Warren • Guest Musician (on audio recording) : Michel Mirjeh Baklouk (rirqq)
• Soloists (on audio recording) : Ismail Hakki Fencioglu (oud et chant) | Ralda Salem (nay et vocals | Marianne Trudel (piano) | Patrick Graham (percussions) | Alexandre Duguay (violin)
• Musicians (on audio recording) : Michelle Seto , Valérie Belzile , Annie Guénette (violins), Frédérique Lambert (alto), Carla Antoun (cello), Etienne Lafrance
• Musicians who also participated in the eponymous concert : Nicolas Lessard (bass), Bertil Schulrabe (percussions), Dominic Painchaud (cello), Éric Breton (percussions), Zoé Dumais (violin), Lizann Gervais (violin), Marie-Hélène Breault (flute)
• Composers : Katia Makdissi-Warren | Gabriel Evangelista | Anthony Rosankovic | Elia Saba | Alexandre Grogg
• Live drawing : JEIK Dion
Photo credit : Michel Pinault
Press
• Le Messager Verdun, Le meilleur de l’Occident et du Moyen-Orient, février 2012
• Guide de Montréal-Nord, OktoEcho ouvrira la saison d’automne, Antoine Dion Ortega, septembre 2011
• La Presse, Il était une fois dans l’Ouest… et dans l’Est, Alain Brunet, juin 2009
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Nomination
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PRIX MUSIQUE FOLK CANADIENNE 2009 « Meilleur album de musique du Monde », « Groupe de l’année », « meilleur album instrumental de l’année »
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Prix OPUS 2009 «Disque de l’année Jazz et Musiques du monde »
