Kiya Tabassian
Setar virtuoso and acclaimed composer Kiya Tabassian has secured a prominent place on the international music scene with his ensemble Constantinople and as a soloist. Renowned for his cross-cultural musical collaborations, Tabassian performs his creations worldwide.
He has contributed as composer, performer, and improviser to numerous projects, including collaborations with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, CBC, and Nouvel Ensemble Moderne. From 2002 to 2005, he participated in the international MediMuses project, researching Mediterranean music history and repertoire, and contributed to various publications and recordings. Since 2009, he has worked with the Netherlands-based Atlas ensemble and Academy, merging contemporary music with oral traditions.
In 2015, Tabassian established and directed the first world music residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Between 2017 and 2022, he served as Associate Artist at the Rencontres musicales de Conques in France, presenting both festival programs and recent Constantinople creations.
Tabassian was a member of the Conseil des arts de Montréal for seven years, including three as chair of the musical decision-making committee, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. He is also artistic director of the Centre des musiciens du monde, co-founded in Montreal in 2017, fostering creation, exchange, and knowledge-sharing among musicians and the public. His work is supported by the Conseil des arts de Montréal, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and the Canada Council for the Arts.