Founded in Berlin in 2021 under the name Babylon Culture e.V. (in 2023 the name was changed to transmusikale e.V.), the association consists of international actors from the artistic scenes of Berlin and Germany and strives for the following goals:

  1. Creation of diversity-oriented venues: The association is committed to establishing a subsidized venue in Berlin that appropriately reflects the high quality of the international, transcultural Berlin music scene. This place should offer the artists and musicians a platform and at the same time be a space for encounters, listening pleasure and artistic debate for the diverse fan community.

  1. transmusikale e.V. strives for a change in the cultural-political landscape, since Berlin continues to have more and more subsidized cultural venues none of which are dedicated to global music . This leads to an inequality in the distribution of opportunities. It is of great importance that the transcultural music scene in Berlin has at least one sustainable and appropriate venue. This allows for fairer representation and supports the diversity and creative development of the city’s transcultural music landscape. A realignment of resources is therefore essential to ensure equal opportunities for all musicians and musical genres.

  1. Diversity-oriented support: The association strives to achieve a fairer allocation of funds by correcting previous wrong decisions. The aim is to create new music categories in public tenders in order to combat discrimination and asymmetrical representation in the international and transcultural Berlin music landscape.

  1. Representation, maintenance & development of the transcultural Berlin music scene: transmusikale e.V. is committed to representing, maintaining and further developing the transcultural musical wealth of Berlin. A central goal is to generate more attention for the diverse musical genres in Berlin and to promote greater cooperation between the different musical styles and institutions. Through these efforts, the association aims to honor the city’s cultural heritage, create new creative synergies, and establish a vibrant and thriving transcultural music scene in Berlin.

Our board:

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Chairwoman of the Board and Secretary

Sofia Surgutschowa
First Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors

Alaa Zouiten
Second Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors

Yalda Yazdani
Treasurer

Moritz Michel

Chairwoman of the Board and Secretary

Sofia Surgutschowa

Sofia Surgutschowa was born in Moscow in 1989 into a family of musicians and moved to Germany in 1996.
After completing her undergraduate studies in Düsseldorf, she graduated from high school in Rennes, France and, after a semester at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, attended the Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris, where she studied theater. She wrote her thesis between Amsterdam and Paris on the Flemish director Ivo van Hove and worked as a cultural journalist for the Münchner Merkur, Weltkunst, Le Point and Spirit Bordeaux.
In 2012 Sofia Surgutschowa started working as an artistic assistant in the IMG ARTISTS agency in Berlin, where she took care of opera singers, directors and conductors. In 2016, she moved to Paris to build her own roster of artists within IMG ARTISTS, where she represented singers including Stéphane Degout, Christian Immler, Lilian Farahani, Alix Le Saux and Edwin Crossley-Mercer, as well as German violinist Julia Fischer and her quartet. In the same year, Sofia Surgutschowa founded Babylon ORCHESTRA in Berlin, an ensemble for contemporary oriental music composed of refugee and European musicians who are committed to cultural mediation between East and West and have become indispensable in the Berlin cultural scene. Since 2020 Sofia Surgutschowa has been working as a freelance artistic coordinator, production manager and manager of international cultural projects, especially for Ensemble Miroirs Etendus, Verbier Festival/UNLTD and Zafraan Ensemble. Sofia Surgutschowa is chairwoman of the board of transmusikale e.V., founder of transmusica ensemble and is part of the editorial committee of Kometa.
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First Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors

Alaa Zouiten

Alaa Zouiten was born in Casablanca, Morocco, where he began his career as a master performer of the oud. Alaa moved to Germany in 2009, where he continued to experiment with the stylistic, technical and aesthetic possibilities of his instrument. In his compositions and arrangements, Alaa constantly seeks new musical perspectives. As a curator, he has organised several successful events including the Gnaoua Festival of Berlin. Alaa is currently working on his new album ‘Aficionado, Laùd Flamenco’, which combines two great musical traditions: flamenco, and Andalusian/north African music.
Projects:
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Second Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors

Yalda Yazdani

Yalda Yazdani is an ethnomusicologist, filmmaker, and curator. She was born in Iran. Currently, she is working as a research fellow and also completing her PhD studies in the field of music at the University of Siegen in Germany. Since 2009, she has undertaken various fieldwork research and has made short documentaries about female vocal songs and music in different regions of Iran. Since 2015, she has organized various intercultural projects, documentaries, music workshops, and concerts across Iran and Europe with the aim of creating collaboration bridges between European and Middle-Eastern musicians and artists. In 2017 and 2018, she founded and curated the festivals ‘Female Voice of Iran,’ and in 2021, the festival ‘Female Voice of Afghanistan,’ and in 2023, the festival ‘Female Voice of Kurdistan’ in collaboration with Contemporary Opera Berlin. She has collaborated with different documentary film productions in Iran, Afghanistan and Kurdistan, focusing mainly on music and its potential to cross cultural borders. Her primary goal is to find ways to improve the situation of Middle-Eastern women musicians, both in their home countries and internationally. In 2020, she was selected to receive a full scholarship from the House of Young Talents Academy to work on her PhD project, focusing on Women’s music in post-revolutionary Iran. In 2021, she won the DAAD award (German Academic Exchange Service), the world’s largest funding organization for the international exchange of students and researchers. Her latest collaborations have been with the documentary projects ‘Saz, The Key of Trust’ (Arte, 2018), ‘The Female Voice of Iran’ (Zeitgenössische Oper Berlin, 2020), and ‘Life After Life, The Female Voice of Afghanistan’ (CrossGeneration Media 2022).
Projects:
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Treasurer

Moritz Michel

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Transmusica Ensemble

Welcome to the world of ensemble transmusica !

Founded in 2023 in the culturally vibrant city of Berlin by Alaa Zouiten, the talented oud player from Morocco, the passionate Bulgarian saxophonist Vladimir Karparov and the creative artist manager Sofia Surgutschowa from Russia, our mission is to create a space where diversity is celebrated, and music transcends borders. At ensemble transmusica, we believe in the transformative power of music to fight against racism and to shine a spotlight on the richness of minority and marginalized cultures.

Berlin, as a city of cultural exchange and struggle for equality, is the perfect place to bring the concept of transculturality and inclusion to life, to embody it and to carry it into the world. ensemble transmusica is committed to making an important contribution to the promotion of diversity and inclusion through its music and artistic work. The ensemble is also committed to teaching music to children and young people by incorporating global music into regular music lessons at Berlin schools.

We are excited to announce our first appearance at the prestigious Verbier Festival in July 2023, where we will showcase our unique musical fusion by featuring the Turkish pianist and singer Merve Akyildiz as the soloist of the show. The musical journey we will offer will take you through Turkey, Bulgaria and Morocco, showing the wide range of new compositions by our musicians and exciting soundscapes which these cultures have to offer.

In 2023, the ensemble transmusica will make its debut at the Verbier Festival (Switzerland) with singer and pianist Merve Akyildiz and perform at the Tonhalle St. Gallen (Switzerland) during the 2023-24 season with soloist Basma Jabr.

Transmusica’s Core Values:

  1. Embracing Diversity: Our ensemble comprises musicians from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, with each member bringing their unique voice to the group. Together, we celebrate our differences and explore the unifying power of music.

  2. No Borders: ensemble transmusica aims to break down barriers that may separate us, both in terms of geography and cultural divides. We will use our performances to create connections across cultures and foster a sense of global community through our shared passion for music.

  3. Combating Racism: We recognize the importance of using our platform to speak out against racism and injustice. Through our music, we strive to promote tolerance, understanding, and empathy among our audiences, encouraging them to join us in the fight for a more inclusive and equitable world.

  4. Amplifying Marginalized Voices: ensemble transmusica is committed to showcasing the works and contributions of underrepresented composers and musicians, highlighting the beauty and importance of their diverse cultures. By giving these artists a platform, we hope to foster a greater appreciation for the richness of human creativity and inspire change within the global music community. ensemble transmusica unites diverse cultures and connects them through its music and approach. The group draws from a multifaceted repertoire ranging from original compositions by the artistic directors and musicians of the ensemble to new arrangements of well-known pieces from the Mediterranean region, the Balkan countries, Africa and India. The ensemble is a master at combining different cultures without superficially mixing them.

Join Us in Our Journey:

We invite you to join us at the Verbier Festival in July 2023 as we embark on this exciting journey to bridge cultures and create a more harmonious world. Together, we can use the power of music to connect hearts, challenge prejudices, and celebrate the beauty of our shared humanity. Experience the magic of ensemble transmusica and be a part of a movement that seeks to unite us all through the universal language of music.

  • Merve Akyildiz – singer
  • Basma Jabr – singer
  • Alaa Zouiten – oud and artistic direction
  • Vladimir Karparov – saxophone
  • Peter Kuhnsch – percussion
  • Naoufal Montassere – guitar
  • Valentin Link – bass
  • Sofia Surgutschowa Russia/Ukraine/Germany – Management

Photo: Katharina Oppel

* transmusikale e.V. is a member of the Berlin Music Commission Network

Contact info:

Contact for inquiries, membership applications, information
transmusikale.ev [at] gmail [dot] com

Logo: Irina Marinescu