Musicians from across the globe gather in the heart of Jerusalem and create a space beyond jurisdiction
Twelve musicians embark on a journey
that begins from the four corners of the earth,
and comes together in FeelBeit
Árkhō is a shared space for musicians and you
International, virtuoso soloists, percussionists, and wind, string and bow musicians join forces with you to create a space for personal and musical research into the origins of music. We invite you to join us, be present, take part, influence and witness the creative process, meetings and discoveries.
After all,
when was the last time you sat next to and among world class musicians from different parts of the world and watched them create in their studio?
When was the last time you sat face to face with a musician and talked about moments of inspiration? Or observed them as they shared their creative knowledge?
When was the last time you watched artists reinvent themselves and play without knowing what the next note is going to be?
This is your chance—the following are 12 options for a variety of meetings with the musicians, which will unfold from August 1-10:
Árkhō LIVE
Árkhō LIVE, the fascinating culmination of a week of intensive rehearsals, will unfold in FeelBeit and on our expansive terrace under the night sky and be open to the public. For three magical nights, for six hours each time, the ensemble will continue its creative and research-driven process, this time, with audiences, who will be invited to come close, listen, and be part of this experience. In the open air and against a stunning backdrop, the musicians will sit in a circle, as close as they can to you, invite you to sit around and even among them and let the magic happen. A rare opportunity to experience and understand the role music plays in our daily lives and to be part of an audience comprised of people from all over the city, east and west. Each evening will have a different ethnic feel (Africa, Flamenco, Latin, and Mediterranean Basin). Each evening, audiences will be invited to listen to these extraordinary musicians play together in duets, trios or quartets and all together. The ensemble will also invite additional guest musicians to join the circle.
Tuesday, August 9 at 6:00 pm and Wednesday, August 10 at 6:30 pm
The story of Árkhō
After a decade of Mekudeshet Music in Jerusalem, two years of a world pandemic, and the birth of FeelBeit as a space for multi-cultural encounters, we set out on a journey to find the meaning, sound and nature of our times. With no defined endpoint, we delved into the roots of music, tried to reconnect with its essence, and rediscover its most basic components that connect one human being to another, a musician to a composition and a performer to an audience. We reached back to the fundamental, primal role that music plays in our lives, communication, rituals and ceremonies, which takes us to a new spiritual level.
After months of research and a lot of listening to our hearts—we invite you to Árkhō. A word deriving from ancient Greek, which means beginning or source, and evokes images of ancient arches, gates, and even Noah’s Ark from the Book of Genesis.
Participating Artists:
Juan Manuel Quintero (Argentina)—vocals and guitar
Nakany Kanté (Guinea Conakry)—vocals
Uğur Önür (Turkey)—vocals and kamancheh
Ruşen Can Acet (Turkey) – Kabak Kemane
Momi Maiga (Senegal)—vocals and kora
Carles Dénia (Spain)—vocals and guitar
Karen Rubio Lugo (Spain)—Flamenco dancing
Mayu Shvrio (Israel)—cello
Itamar Borochov (Israel/USA)—trumpet
Yankale Segal (Israel)—bass
Aleix Tobias Sabater (Spain)—artistic direction and percussion
Itamar Doari (Israel)— artistic direction and percussion
Itamar Borochov-trumpet-Israel/USA
One of the most prominent trumpeters of his generation whose unique sound was drawn from the music that surrounded him as a child in Jaffa—a combination of maqams and scales that he heard in the synagogue, and jazz in New York, where he has pursued a successful career for 15 years. Itamar weaves together the music from these wildly different worlds to create original compositions that deftly bridge the divide between east and west.
Juan Manuel Quintero (Argentina)—vocals and guitar
One of the world’s best and most respected Latin musicians brings the musical traditions of his home country, Argentina, center stage. Juan boasts an impressive resume of 12 solo albums and dozens of collaborations in studios and on stage (with artists such as Mercedes Sosa, Juan Falú, Raúl Carnota and many others). Juan is a composer, arranger and conductor for choirs and orchestras in his home country and throughout Latin America.
Mayu Shvrio (Israel)—cello
Mayu began studying classical western music at the age of six, and over time, she developed a unique and trend-setting bond with Arabic, Turkish, Persian and Azerbaijani music. Her unique familiarity with both worlds led her to her signature sound, which she continues to develop and teach in Israel and across the globe. In addition to the slew of artists with whom she has collaborated, Mayu also performed as part of the FeelBeit ensemble in the summer of 2021.
Momi Maiga (Senegal)—vocals and kora
A virtuoso kora player (African harp) with extraordinary vocal abilities, Momi’s work is deeply rooted in Senegal’s musical traditions, where he grew up under the tutelage of the famed Sissoko and Keita families. He has performed across the globe, seizing every opportunity to create new, groundbreaking musical collaborations. His debut album combines ethnic jazz, Flamenco, and traditional African music.
Yankale Segal (Israel)—bass
One of the most prolific and sought-after musicians in Israel, Yankale researches and performs ethnic music from across the region: Turkey, Greece, Iran and more. He has headed and collaborated with a long list of musical lineups, including Vieux Farka Toure, Idan Raichel, Mark Eliyahu, Yemen Blues, Chava Alberstein, Natural Choice (Habrira HaTiveet), Itamar Doari and many others.
Aleix Tobias (Spain)—Percussion
Following an international career spanning more than three decades and collaborating on over 60 albums, Aleix Tobias is now a leading figure in the international music scene. After studying drums and western percussion instruments, he quickly shifted his focus to traditional Senegalese, Gambian, Turkish, Brazilian and Egyptian drum techniques. He established and heads the Coetus and Tactequete bands and serves as artistic director for the Árkhō project alongside Itamar Doari.
Carles Dénia (Spain)—vocals and guitar
Singer, guitarist and composer Carles Dénia began his career studying western jazz, which quickly progressed to a worldwide search for inspiration, which he found in traditional ethnic music. He has performed in countless collaborative concerts that are rapturously received. Among his most successful albums are As High as the Moon and Spiritual Singing.
Karen Lugo
Award-winning Mexican dancer and choreographer, Karen Lugo, was awarded first prize in Almeria’s Flamenco Festival, took first place at Finland’s Flamenco Festival of Contemporary Dance, and was featured in the movie Flamenco, Flamenco by Carlos Saura. She regularly performs with the world’s leading Flamenco artists.
Uğur Önür (Turkey)—vocals and kamancheh
Uğur was born in Southern Turkey and as a child played the Kabak Kemane, one of the oldest percussion instruments in Asia Minor. During his studies, he focused on Turkish folk music and performs in his home country and throughout the world as a soloist and as part of the Mesel band. He recently launched his first solo album.
Itamar Doari (Israel)—percussion
Itamar Doari is a world-renowned percussionist who has performed alongside the most important names in world music and has spent years performing and creating live shows all over the world as a musician, artistic director and composer. Among many other things, Doari created, especially for us, Wadi Atma, Living Water and led the FeelBeit Ensemble last summer. Doari is currently the artistic director for Árkhō with Aleix Tobias.