concert production

. . . among others

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SUM.MON

~ on going

for voice and double bass, with double bass player and composer Dario Calderone.

SUM·MON is a contemporary ritual inspired by mystical traditions of the medieval Mediterranean and ancient Middle Eastern cultures. Interweaving philosophical and astronomical ideas surrounding the four elements—earth, water, air, and fire—vocalist Kristia Michael and double bass player Dario Calderone embody and share transformative states of being. Intense vocalizations and deep vibrations summon performers and audiences in forgotten practices of sound.

SUM.MON features works by renowned composers Giacinto Scelsi, Beat Furrer, Silvia Borzelli, Nikos Galenianos, as well as the performers’ compositions, and envisions the liturgical dimension of new music while searching for primal sensations reminiscent of ancient rites.

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AMONG ECHOES

September 16th 2024 at Splendor Amsterdam

for voice, clavichord and electronics, with early keyboard specialist and experimental artist Alex Mastichiadis

Among Echoes is a project that merges the intimacy of the human voice with the atmospheric sounds of the clavichord and electronics. Vocalist Kristia Michael and early keyboard player Alex Mastichiadis combine early baroque and new music by both emerging and renowned composers and sound artists, aiming to create a dreamy and mystifying state of resonances. Since the late Middle Ages, the soft, expressive sound of the clavichord made it ideal for private practice and intimate performances, allowing musicians to explore nuanced dynamics, unlike other early keyboard instruments. This sense of intimacy inspires this innovative blend of nuances and envisions a collective artistic and spiritual exploration. Among Echoes focuses on the communion of emotional states and the creation of meditative worlds, while pushing the boundaries of extended techniques on the voice and clavichord.

Works by Yannis Kyriakides, Aspasia Nasopoulou, Nirantar Yakthumba, Kristia Michael, Alex Mastichiadis, Morton Feldman, Jacopo Peri, Luzzasco Luzzaschi, Johann Jakob Frescobaldi..

Listen: Tu dormi by Jacopo Peri (1568-1633), Songs for Ayelet: Warmth by Yannis Kyriakides, Songs for Ayelet: Spring by Yannis Kyriakides

Pictures by Francesco Andriollo

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NIGHT TALES

January 20th 2024 at Het Orgelpark

September 14th, 16th, 17th 2022 at the Catholic Churches of Cyprus.

for voice and organ, with Anita Tomasevich

“In a state of devoutness, the two soloists explore the combination of early and contemporary music with works from the 12th to the 21st century.” 

World premieres by Cornelis de Bondt, Yannis Kyriakides and works by Andreja Andrich, Hildegard von Bingen, Guillaume de Machaut, Antonio Vivaldi and Kristia Michael.

Listen: O vis aeternitatis by Hildegard von Bingen, Lēoht by Kristia Michael, La dame complainte by Cornelis de Bondt, Rex caeli, Domine maris undisoni by Andreja Andric.

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BEAT FURRER IS IN LOVE WITH HILDEGARD

June 17th 2023

Festival Dag in de Branding with Nieuw Amsterdams Peil, at the basement of Nieuwe Kerk (The Hague).

“Cypriot-Dutch singer Kristia Michael is equally at home in early music and contemporary repertoire. During this recital, she sings not only music by the medieval mystic Hildegard von Bingen but also pieces written especially for her”

Works by Yannis Kyriakides, Beat Furrer, Andys Skordis, Samir TimajChi, Kristia Michael, Hildegard von Bingen.

During Festival Dag in de Branding in The Hague, the theatres, the Residentie Orkest and various ensembles will introduce you to the latest music. Three times a year they organize a festival full of discoveries at different locations in The Hague.

Read the interview

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LIMINAL FLOWS

April 17th 2023

SPRING Festival with Kali Ensemble, at Amare (The Hague)

“Kristia Michael and Kali invite composers Amba Klapwijk, Hidde Kramer, Isaac Barzso, Pedro Latas, and Nirantar Yakthumba to curate a concert for the Spring Festival 2023. The music elaborates various perspectives on space-time, geometry, information, irreversible change, and the climate crisis.”

The pieces were composed after a series of workshops with Kristia and the ensemble at The Royal Conservatory of The Hague.

Read about the Festival

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SUMMONING OF THE MUSE

August 27th 2022

Utrecht Early Music Festival with Sibil•la Ensemble , at Janskerk (Utrecht)

“Medieval chants, songs and dances from Italy, Germany, France, Spain and Cyprus. Praises to the divinity, the uncured love, and the sweet beauty of the dame that torments the poet.”

Works by Hildegard von Bingen, Guillaume de Machaut, Bernart de Ventadorn, Cantigas de Santa Maria, Llibre Vermell de Montserrat, Turin Codex J.II.9, London Manuscript and El Misteri d’ Elx.

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SONGS FROM THE GARDEN

November 18th 2021

With MusicAeterna soloists, at Dom Radio (Saint Petersburg)

““Between silence and screeching” is how Kristia Michael describes her new programme, Songs from the Garden. The soloist, equally experienced in medieval and contemporary vocal repertoire, presents several world premieres and reinterprets 21st-century music drawing inspiration from medieval ritual aesthetics.”

World premieres by Andreas Moustoukis, Yannis Kyriakides, Andys Skordis, Samir TimajChi and works by Beat Furrer and Hildegard von Bingen.

Read about the concert

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MEDIEVAL MUSIC IN MEDITERRANEAN COURTS

September 17th 2021

24th Cultural Festival with Ensemble Cantara, at Archontiko of Axiothea (Nicosia)

“Ensemble Cantara constitutes, with its presence and artistic action, a substantial deposit in the field of quality culture..”

The first medieval music ensemble in Cyprus, founded by Niki Andronikou and Kristia Michael.

Read about the concert and festival