Balkanik Festival: Celebrating Diversity Through Music and Art
Balkanik Festival is an annual event that aims to bring together communities, promote inclusivity, understanding, and acceptance of other cultures through music and other arts. Since its first edition, the festival has been a platform for artists from diverse backgrounds to showcase their talents and celebrate cultural diversity.
What to Expect at Balkanik Festival 2024
Aside from the electrifying concerts, attendees can look forward to a craft fair, exhibitions, debates, international kitchens serving traditional and reinterpreted dishes, activities for children, and scenographies blending Eastern and Western, urban and rural influences. The festival promises a vibrant and immersive experience for all.
Line-up for Balkanik Festival 2024
The festival will feature a stellar line-up of artists, including Fanfare Ciocărlia (Romania), Shantel & Bucovina System (Germany), Baba Zula (Turkey), Dikanda (Poland), Phuripe (formerly Ternipe, Hungary), Collectif Medz Bazar (Armenia-France), KermesZ à l’Est (Belgium), Mădălina Pavăl Orchestra (Romania), and Rumeliko (Greece-Romania).
One of the highlights of the festival is the performance by Fanfare Ciocărlia, a group of 12 Roma musicians whose journey began over 25 years ago in the village of Zece Prăjini, in northeastern Romania. Their energetic music and vibrant performances have captivated audiences around the world.
The Global Sounds of Shantel
Shantel is a musician who has become a symbol of a new musical culture worldwide. Collaborating with artists from different countries, such as Gogol Bordello from the USA and Boban & Marko Markovic from Serbia, Shantel has received numerous awards for his work. His hit “Disko Partizani” has captured the hearts of music lovers around the globe, blending migration and dance in a unique way.
With a rich genetic heritage that spans multiple regions, Shantel’s music embodies the fusion of different cultures. His interest in Eastern European music was sparked during a trip to Bukovina in search of his family roots, leading to the creation of the Bucovina Club events and albums. His music transcends geographical and cultural boundaries, creating a sense of unity and celebration among listeners worldwide.
Baba Zula: Breaking Barriers Through Music
Baba Zula is a band that defies societal norms and celebrates musical diversity with albums such as “Disko Partizani” and “Istanbul.” They bring the sound of Istanbul to the Balkanik Festival, offering a unique blend of Oriental dub and energetic psychedelic rock’n’roll. Their music has the power to transport listeners back in time to the shores of the ancient Bosporus.
Collectif Medz Bazar: A Fusion of Traditions
Formed in 2012 in Paris, Collectif Medz Bazar is a group of eight musicians who reinterpret traditional music from Anatolia, the Caucasus, and beyond. Their original arrangements blend tradition with the dynamic energy of the metropolis, creating a unique musical experience for audiences around the world.
Balkans and Beyond: A Fusion of Musical Traditions
In their stage performances, musical traditions from Armenian, Kurdish, Turkish, Arab, and Persian cultures come together with explosive rhythms and pop elements, blending Middle Eastern percussion with Parisian voices of various origins (Armenian, Turkish, and Franco-American), inspired by popular music from Anatolia or Iran, as well as Caucasian rabiz, Thrace rhythms, Venezuelan music accents, operetta, hip-hop, jazz, and bluegrass. Dikanda is an internationally renowned band that has been playing “world music” since 1997, originating from Szczecin, Poland. In their artistic activity, Dikanda promotes the authenticity of their style – seeking new trends so that most of their works are original compositions, with musicians finding inspiration in the traditional sounds of broadly defined Eastern folklore – from the Balkans, through Israel, Kurdistan, Belarus, to India.
KermesZ à l’Est: A Unique Neo-Fanfare Post-Punk Experience
KermesZ à l’Est is a unique fanfare that blends the emotion of Balkan and klezmer melodies with the power of rock and metal. Their music is characterized by the creation of new words in their lyrics, forming the “dikandish” language. The band’s infectious energy and zest for life turn their audience into a sea of dancers, while their repertoire is complemented by amusing stage interactions inspired by bizarre shows and curiosity cabinets, creating a high-energy dance-filled spectacle.
Mădălina Pavăl Orchestra: Reinventing Traditional Romanian Sounds
Mădălina Pavăl is a multidisciplinary artist who expresses her creativity through music and various artistic projects. Together with Alexei Țurcan, a talented producer and composer, they have formed Mădălina Pavăl Orchestra, a unique band that combines traditional Romanian sounds with modern elements. The orchestra focuses on exploring and reinventing classical musical textures, using instruments such as string quintets and harps.
Ruméliko: A Fusion of Greek and Turkish Folklore
Ruméliko is a vibrant fusion of Greek and Turkish folklore, urban rebetiko, and Balkan rhythms that breathe new life into ancient songs of passion, longing, pain, and joy. Led by the spirited voice of Valasie Dodulu, together with the oriental and occidental instrumentation of the ensemble, Ruméliko transports the listener on a sonic journey to the origins of Ottoman Rumelia, a region that once stretched from Greece to Romania.
Phuripe: Keeping the Roma Tradition Alive
Phuripe is a band whose leader, Lakatos Béla, founded a new musical group after the disbandment of the famous Ternipe in 2014. Their repertoire includes traditional Roma songs, but they do not forget to innovate and experiment with new sounds and rhythms.
For Mădălina and Alexei, these musical experiences evoke the cultural and geographical roots of Romania – from Bukovina and Moldova to the southern Danube and the Balkans. The fusion of diverse influences creates a unique sound that some may label world music, but for them, it is a celebration of the rich tapestry of Romanian heritage.
Ternipe Band: Keeping Romani Music Alive in a Modern World
Ternipe band is known for their authentic Romani music, including the famous track “Muro Shavo.” The band is dedicated to preserving Romani music, both vocal and instrumental, in a fast-paced modern world. They strive to bring together and reinterpret traditional Romani music to make it accessible to a wider audience.
Balkanik Festival 2024 Ticket Prices
You can purchase tickets for Balkanik Festival 2024 online, with prices starting at 170 lei for a festival pass and 85 lei for a single day ticket. For more information on ticket prices and how to buy them, visit the InfoMusic website.