The Journey of Strings – from Baghdad through Andalusia to Berlin

Chiraz Ajmi

Arabic Singing

She is originally from Tunisia and comes from a multidisciplinary background combining engineering, technology, and creativity. Alongside her academic and professional journey in electrical engineering and computer science, music has always been an important part of her identity. She was a member of the Tunisian National Traditional Choir, where she had the opportunity to perform and connect deeply with Tunisia's rich musical heritage. She is also a member of AMI Berlin and Women in Harmony Berlin, further reflecting her active involvement in multicultural and artistic communities.

Nabil Arbaain

Historical Oud

Artistic Direction From Oud to Lute

Originally from Damascus, Nabil Arbaain is an oud player and composer with a passion for fusing classical Arabic music with jazz, flamenco, and Western classical styles. He has collaborated with musicians across Syria, Turkey, and Europe, and released his debut album 'From Damascus to Berlin' in 2020 – a musical reflection on migration and the meaning of home. As founder and artistic director of the AMI Berlin Ensemble, he brings Arabic music and music theory to audiences in Berlin.

Valentina Bellanova

Ney · Renaissance Flutes

Valentina Bellanova, born in Florence, studied recorder and musicology in Italy and at the University of Music, Drama and Media in Hanover, where she earned her Soloist's Diploma. A specialist in the ney and modal music, she studied with Ross Daly, Kudsi Erguner, and Ömer Erdogdular. In 2024 she completed a Master's in Medieval Music at the Folkwang University in Essen. As a self-described "TransMusician", she bridges early European and Arabic-Turkish musical traditions.

Romeo Natur

Percussion

Romeo Natur grew up in a musical family and joined his first band at the age of six. Under the guidance of international teachers he mastered the darbuka, cajón, and nay — weaving together his Palestinian roots with influences from Cuba, Egypt, India, Morocco, and flamenco, rooted in an orally transmitted rhythmic tradition. As a member of the Ons Ensemble, he deepened his tabla playing and absorbed the influence of Gnawa music. Performances and workshops have taken him across Europe, Palestine, and Brazil; in 2009 he and his brother opened the world music and jazz club Shangl Hangl in Berlin.

June Telletxea

Voice & Percussion

June Telletxea, born in the Basque city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, studied singing at the Schola Cantorum Basilensis in Basel, graduating in 2006 with professors Gerd Türk and Dominique Vellard. She has performed with conductors such as William Christie, Gabriel Garrido, and Anthony Rooley, as well as numerous European ensembles. Since settling in Berlin in 2007, she works with Ensemble Cantaderas, her Trio Sprezzatura 22, and Ensemble Tres Morillas, spanning medieval, traditional, and contemporary music. She also teaches at the Musikinstrumenten-Museum Berlin and works as a vocal coach for the Jugendchor Cantores Minores and the Chor der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Julia Kursawe

Vihuela de Arco

Julia Kursawe is a Baroque cellist, composer, and artistic director, trained at the Dresden University of Music and the Berlin University of the Arts. A specialist in historical performance practice, she performs with the Lautten Compagney Berlin and other renowned ensembles. In 2016 she founded Ensemble Tres Morillas, dedicated to music of the Iberian Peninsula. For this concert she plays the vihuela de arco – the medieval predecessor of the cello.

Max Hattwich

Historical Oud · Renaissance Lute

Artistic Direction From Oud to Lute

Born in Berlin in 1991, Max Hattwich began as a rock and metal guitarist before turning to classical guitar and later to early music. He studied classical guitar and lute in Rostock and Berlin, specialising in Baroque, Renaissance, and medieval repertoire. A sought-after continuo player, he collaborates with renowned ensembles and orchestras and serves as artistic director of the ensemble Due sopra il Basso. Alongside opera productions, teaching, and concerts, he released his first solo CD on Renaissance lute in 2024.