On October 13, the world-famous Dutch lutenist Jozef van Wissem will perform in Armenia for the first time. Known for his collaborations with filmmaker Jim Jarmusch and his award-winning score for the vampire drama Only Lovers Left Alive, van Wissem will perform alongside outstanding musicians representing a modern touch to the traditional music of the region:

Mar Margaryan (Armenia): musician and vocalist, performing on the kanon, known for playing in various genres with many musicians and bands, including one of Armenia’s most popular bands, The Bambir;

Ben Wheeler (USA/Georgia): experimental composer and ethnomusicologist, playing instruments such as the choghur, saz, and pontic lyra. Ben’s compositions feature musical structures from local folk traditions meshed with electronics, feedback, and lo-fi aesthetics. He co-founded Mountains of Tongues, a project dedicated to preserving lesser-known music from the Caucasus region. Ben recorded songs in languages that have rarely been caught on tape, instruments that only exist in extremely small numbers, and performances from a variety of underrepresented ethnic, religious, and linguistic minority communities throughout the region.

Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind concert, where van Wissem’s minimalist compositions will blend medieval and experimental sounds with traditional regional instruments, creating a truly immersive experience.