Aditi Bhagwat (India) Foot Percussionist

Aditi Bhagwat is an award-winning foot percussionist and dancer from India. Aditi specializes in the Jaipur style of the classical Indian dance. The radiant storytelling of the Kathak traditions finds a strong place in Aditi’s intrinsic rhythmic sensibility. Aditi weaves the arcs of bells, graceful stomps, and echoing stillness throughout the theatrics of Kathak.

Establishing a disciplined work ethic from a young age, Aditi began her rigorous studies at the age of four. Alongside grueling certifications and apprenticeships as part of her dance training, she went on to successfully complete a masters degree in Psychology.

Aditi has delved into numerous Indian classical traditions, including Taal and Laikari. She has likewise welcomed the opportunity to experiment with traditional and innovative disciplines of world music using Kathak and Iavani styles in collaboration with Jazz maestro Louiz Banks, renowned percussionist Sivamani, Jazz music composer Merlin D’Souza, Rod Williams, and Bela Szakcsi Lakatos for the Gypsy-Indian World Jazz project in Hungary. With her dazzling foot percussion displays, Aditi has enthralled audiences in India and abroad in the USA, Australia, Singapore, London, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Poland and New Zealand.

Alain Chirwisa (a.k.a. Alesh) (Democratic Republic of Congo) Rapper, MC

Alain Chirwisa (a.k.a. Alesh) delivers potent rhymes aimed at the heart of corruption both in and out of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Darting between sub bass drops and militant rolls of piccolo snares, Alesh deftly crafts thought-provoking lines in French, Swahili, and Lingala.

Alesh’s music pays homage to the origins of hip hop, deconstructing political reality in artistic terms. With a degree in economics, this highly intelligent rapper makes astute commentary on his country’s unstable national environment.

The musical voice of the Congolese youth, Alesh has galvanized serious support around the issues of social justice at stake in his country following the turbulent 2011 elections. The numerous honors he has received are a testament to both his musical talents and his social presence. One of many notable examples, Alesh was asked to reopen the air theater in the National Museums of Kinshasa, after the cultural and historical trove of the DRC had been closed for 30 years.

Amir ElSaffar (USA) Trumpeter, Santoor Player

Chicago-born Amir ElSaffar mines Iraqi maqams from deep within the bell of his brass. A skilled trumpeter with a classical background, Amir’s unresolved, ascending melodies teeter on the edge of silence, only to be cushioned by a long, sighing note. In 2006, he founded Safaafir, the only ensemble in the US performing Iraqi Maqam in its traditional format.

Raised on Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, Amir combines tropes of Middle Eastern music with American jazz. As a composer, Amir draws from the microtonal systems of traditional Arabic music, channeling their swift melodies through improvisational flurries. An acknowledged performer of the Maqam al-iraqi specialty, Amir is also a notable vocalist and santoor player.

Amir has established himself as an important voice in an age of cross-cultural music making. In 2006, he founded Safaafir, the only ensemble in the US performing Iraqi Maqam in its traditional format. His towering accomplishments include grants from Chamber Music America, the Jazz Institute of Chicago, the Jerome Foundation, Festival of New Trumpet Music (FONT), and the Painted Bride Arts Center in Philadelphia.

Anton Sergeev (Russia) DJ, Engineer

One half of the glitch-pop duo Zotovy Brothers, Anton Sergeev (aka Maskeliade) is an adventurous musician, DJ, and engineer based in Russia. Anton mashes screeching noise-drenched samplers with the thud of bit-crushed drum machines. With video, projection, web, and graphic design also in his creative arsenal, Anton’s digital worldview has made him a unique performer.

Outside of the recordings of Zotovy Brothers and his solo work (under the pseudonym Anton Maskeliade), Anton has offered his discerning ear and expertise to recording, mixing and mastering bands with countless different musical styles. His interests in both avant garde and more popular, dance-based electronic music lend his skillful productions a jarring yet infectious feel.

Anton is a firm believer in the social power of new music and new media. A strong proponent of online exchange, Anton regularly documents the technical and philosophical processes behind his projects to connect a sprawling lo-fi music community. As a result, he has been invited to publish articles on recording theory and technique, lecture at multi-media conferences, and perform at various electronic music festivals.

Aquil Charlton (USA) DJ, Rapper

Nonchalant DJ and hip hop powerhouse Aquil Charlton is a pioneer of youth-minded social entrepreneurship. As mrAquil of Animate Objects, the emcee shores up the group’s muted retro-tinged beats with cerebral, literate rhymes. Aquil divides his time spitting rollicking witticisms and empowering his community of young urban artists.

A politically outspoken community organizer, Aquil is always searching for new ways to communicate and further dialogue using the arts. As co-founder and former Executive Director of The Crib Collective, Aquil helped young leaders create, launch, and sustain social change programs. In 2011, he joined the FEW Collective for a US-State Department-sponsored cultural exchange in Pakistan, where he collaborated with Kathak dancer Nighat Chaodhry and famed qawwal The Sabri Brothers.

Currently, Aquil is a consultant, helping Chicago nonprofits develop innovative youth programs. He is also devoting much of his time to his creative endeavors: working on a new album with Animate Objects, due to be released in Spring 2013, and a solo project he plans to release the following Summer.

Ayman Mabrouk (Egypt) Percussionist

With darbuka, rig, frame drums, cajon, djembe, naghara, a modern drum set, and rare rhythmic intuition at his disposal, Egyptian percussionist Ayman Mabrouk’s talent spans classical and contemporary world traditions. Ayman creates Arab ballads and German electronica with equal enthusiasm and dexterity.

Growing up in Alexandria, a city rich with ethnic music traditions, Ayman has developed a voracious approach to musicianship that knows no borders. The artistically fertile city has offered a stockpile of international drumming styles for Ayman to master.

As a former player in the Alexandria Opera House Band, Ayman has earned the high regard of his peers in the Oriental classical music community. Ayman has toured with numerous groups including Massar Egbari Band, Oriental Secrets Ensemble, Maryam Saleh Band, Alif Ensemble, and Grammy and BBC award-winner Fathy Salama. He has been billed at top jazz and world music festivals across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and the United States. As an inspiring and respected educator, he has taken part in workshops and master classes in Egypt, Poland, Serbia, and Hungary.

Caesar K (Lebanon) DJ, Producer

DJ and vinyl aficionado Caesar Kahwagi (a.k.a. Ceasar K) gravitates towards analog and vintage sounds: grainy sliced samples, swinging high hats, bouncing acid style baselines are intercut with filtered deadpan vocals. Headquartered in Beirut, Ceaser introduced European breakbeat to the Middle East.

A relentless mover-and-shaker, Ceaser launched the first Lebanese internet radio station, opened trendsetting event space “The Silver Factory,” established the city’s premier vinyl-only bar, and formed the independent label “VL Records.” Pursuing his ideal that “music can be a serious catalyst for change in our communities,” Ceaser has proven himself a social entrepreneur and magnate of the Beirut arts scene.

He has churned out a prolific amount of releases for his label, including imaginative remixes by artists both obscure and well-known, alongside original works. His captivating grooves have earned him high profile collaborations with world-renowned groups like System of a Down and RZA from Wu-Tang Clan.

Chance Mccoy (USA) Fiddler, Dulcimer Player

Champion fiddle player Chance McCoy embodies the pioneering spirit of his Appalachian roots. Wandering melodies and plaintive ballads, animated by virtuosic banjo and violin playing, breathe life into this traditional mountain music. An award-winning musician and singer, he currently performs with beloved Americana outfit Old Crow Medicine Show.

An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Chance plays fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, and dulcimer. Backed by a group of seasoned folk musicians, Chance recently released his debut full-length album, Chance McCoy and The Appalachian String Band. An award-winning musician and singer, he currently performs with Americana outfit Old Crow Medicine Show as well as collaborating with other artists and performing solo.

Chance is keen to discover innovative methods of conjuring an authentic Appalachian atmosphere while still leaving opportunity for contemporary influences. He has eagerly teamed up with artists from a range of genres, from swing to rock to electro. In turn, Chance offers his unique, authentic sound to interested students around the world, teaching intimate music lessons via Skype.

Domenica Fossati (USA) Flutist

Domenica Fossati is an electrifying performer and a sensitive collaborator. She is the front-woman behind the afrobeat ensemble Underground System, one of the only groups in the scene to feature a female lead singer. Trilingual and well-acquainted with Yoruba and Ewe ethnic tongues, her original lyrics and knowledge of traditional African dance grant her work anecdotal authenticity

As a flutist, her spontaneous whistling rolls have found a home with modern composers, including Harvey Sollberger, Julia Wolfe, David Lang and Michael Gordon. Her musicianship carries a spontaneous, theatrical quality anchored by a loose groove.

Influenced by a wide range of musical styles including jazz, rock, and hip hop, her work oscillates gracefully between art music and pop. An active member of the New York new music scene, Domenica has performed at some of the most prestigious contemporary and classical venues, among them Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and John Zorn’s venue, The Stone.

Edward Ramirez (Venezuela) Cuatro Player

A native of Venezuela, Edward Ramirez plays in the densely-arranged acoustic ensemble, C4Trio. The galloping counterpoint of his cuatro melodies are bright and cavalier. Having earned the title of “Best Ensemble” at the 2011 International Guitar Biennial, the C4Trio rides high on Edward’s near frantic and dizzying agility.

Having studied with distinguished maestros and giants of the Venezuelan music world, Edward has performed internationally with contemporary ensemble Venezuela Viva and toured with Spanish guitar virtuoso Paco Peña. In addition to his role as a musician, he is an adept arranger with an ear for record production.

Edward has long nurtured his fascination with the indigenous music of central Venezuela, especially the style of Joropo Tuyero, which traditionally features a metal stringed instrument called the Arpa Tuyera. Creating a prototype cuatro outfitted with metal strings to reproduce sounds similar to the Arpa Tuyera, Edward has experimented with a fusion of indigenous and contemporary sounds.

Eva Primack (USA) Singer

A native of Santa Cruz, California, Eva Salina Primack ranks among today’s preeminent interpreters of Balkan vocal music in the U.S. Beginning her training at the tender age of seven, Eva extends her honeyed voice across the spheres of hymnal and bucolic traditions. Her singing barters for mournful spirits from the Caucasus to Appalachia to feed its rooted yet innovative sound.

Eva further cultivated her taste in world singing traditions while pursuing a B.A. in Ethnomusicology at UCLA. Cutting her teeth with some of the greatest living singers of Balkan traditional music, she continues to explore the music of Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Corsica, Georgia, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, and the Romani people.

Recognized for her rich, agile voice and vibrant, skillful teaching, Eva is in high demand to teach and perform at camps, workshops, and festivals worldwide. She has garnered the attention of many acclaimed Balkan and American musicians and has performed alongside Merima Kljuco, Frank London, Ethel Raim, Slavic Soul Party!, Which Way East, Kadife, Veveritse, Choban Elektrik, Seido Salifoski’’s Romski Boji, Édessa, Tzvetanka Varimezova, Italian Balkan/Jazz Project Opa Cupa, and KITKA.

Helio Vanimal (Mozambique) Singer, Songwriter

Helio Vanimal’s boisterous raps and parading vocal melodies are balanced with an unchanging backdrop of profound compassion. Helio hopes that his parodic, exuberant performances can offer moments of respite from tragedy, as he feels that joy and positivity make for potent medicine when facing adversity.

A pioneering activist and social entrepreneur, Helio began fusing music and charity work at an orphanage in Beira, where he wrote songs with children suffering from HIV/AIDS. He founded Positivo Mozambique, a non-profit arts and education organization, to help expand the use of music to cope with the epidemic in West Africa.

His musical productions–combining customary African instruments, cutting edge technology, and industrial waste–make use of all available resources. Leading the Positivo band, Helio has toured Mozambique, Austria, South Africa and Morocco performing and leading youth workshops. Utilizing emergent cell phone technology and mobile recording software, Helio is able to spread positive messages where traditional activism cannot reach.

Jessica Srin (Cambodia) Rapper, MC

Jessica Srin, a.k.a. MC Lisha, is resident rapper of the Khmer KlapYaHandz collective and the undisputed mistress of Cambodia’s thriving hip-hop scene. Firing mercilessly tight verses in English, Khmer, and Jarai, Lisha is a coveted partner in the local freestyle circuit. If her lyrics have militant tenor, it’s because she drops rhymes aimed to educate and empower Cambodia’s teens, especially girls.

Out of the small handful of female MCs in Phnom Penh, Lisha has been a permanent fixture of the culture since the 90s. In spite of her longevity, this veteran emcee has remained almost famously evasive from the eye of the international public. Lisha, a proud mother of three who holds a day job as a copyeditor, has nevertheless been persistently prolific.

Lisha has been featured on songs by local acts Khmer Kid and Los Poporks, as well as Swedish hip hop group Maskinen. Since 2002, she has been radio DJing alongside famed DJ Sope (considered the godfather of hip hop in Cambodia) in an attempt to further engage the youth with hip hop’s empowering message.

Johnbern Thomas (Haiti) Drummer

Hailing from Port-au-Prince, Johnbern Thomas’ repertoire maps the vibrant percussion styles of the Caribbean. From jazz, to swing, reggae, pop, blues, to traditional Haitian kompa and rara, his suped-up drum kit reveals the region’s dynamic cultural mélange.

Beneath his peppery, devil-may-care percussion is the sage technique of one of his country’s most accomplished drummers. The son of a renowned jazz drummer, Johnbern grew up immersed in the rhythms of Haiti’s thriving music scene. Since the age of eight, when he made his musical debut alongside his father before a crowd of 8,000, Johnbern has logged an enormous list of collaborators, including renowned American pianist, Aaron Goldberg, and Claude Carre.

In addition to leading his eponymous group, the Johnbern Quintet, the drummer has performed with the likes of Ragou Mizik, Jaleb Haitians Jazz, Jahnesta, Vibration de Petition-Ville, the MRM Group, Zekle, and the Orchestra of Pastor Edris.

Kato Change (Kenya) Guitarist

A charismatic performer with inimitable improv chops, Kato Change flirts with virtuosity. Hailing from Kenya, the guitarist’s beaming onstage persona is paired with a nimble command of his instrument. Kato continually draws from a heritage of jazz legends as well as flamenco, rhythm and blues and rock genres, creating sounds that are both familiar and utterly singular.

Kato Change is one of the premiere jazz guitarists in Kenya and a champion of dynamic global cultural exchange. Self-taught, Kato’s curiosity in guitar was nurtured by an emerging online community of musicians on YouTube. Foundational to his ornate, self-directed style is a universal musical pulse, energized by the continuous feedback loops that link artists across the globe.

In his live videos, one can observe his leadership and generous collaborative spirit. A much sought-after player, Kato strums regularly alongside his jazz ensemble, The Change Quartet, and the rock band UETA.

Kyungso Park (South Korea) Gayageum Player

Kyungso Park’s gayageum compositions flow from the tranquil naturalist tendencies of classical Korean string music. Kyungso’s three solo albums flaunt modern production techniques, spaced-out house beats, and tunneling echoes, all embellishing her dazzling melodic runs. Drawing her influences from “earth, metal, wood, silk,” her work is a serene conduit for the passage of environmental states.

Kyungso challenges those who see the nearly thousand-year-old gayageum as merely an “exotic museum piece” by introducing new 21st century applications to the versatile instrument. Committed to educating younger generations about the venerable fixture of Korean culture, Kyungso lectures on gayageum at Korea National University of Arts, Chungwoon University, and Yeoju Institute of Technology.

Besides her solo work, Kyungso collaborates with the gayageum ensemble AURA and the jazz-fusion band Oriental Express. Her openness to experimentation has invited Kyungso into the company of avant garde composers and electronic DJs alike.

Kayode Kuti (Nigeria) Bassist

Picking up the bass at thirteen, self-taught Michael Kayode Kuti quickly took to the swaggering hypnotic rhythms of Yoruban juju and highlife music. Though he had originally intended on following the path of serene gospel music, the budding ace was unexpectedly offered the chance of a lifetime when he was asked to join the legendary Egypt 80 band, formed by Nigerian afrobeat star Fela Kuti.

Kayode spent three years touring the world with the rock band, under the care of Seun Kuti, and earned the experience to match his innate gifts. Distinguished for his impregnable rhythms, Michael decided to strike out on his own in pursuing his own musical directions.

Kayode has had the opportunity to play with musicians across the world, perform extensively across Europe, and collaborate in genres as varied as West African-Spanish fusion, Cuban hip hop, and Maghrebi Jazz. His own band, The Blacknotes, recently released their debut album.

Muthoni Ndonga (Kenya) Singer, Producer

Muthoni Ndonga (self-styled as Muthoni “The Drummer Queen”) mashes vocal acrobatics with frenetic pounding to animate spirited dance music. The Kenyan singer songwriter tears through the subwoofers of Nairobi’s underground dance clubs, deploying contemporary rhythms of dubstep, house, and neo soul as well as older African styles like afrobeat and taarab (east African orchestral music).

Muthoni’s outspoken, floetry-inspired delivery is a tumbling mix of English, Kikuyu, and Kiswahi. Screaming outfits and tight-cut music videos add to her image as a flippant queen of Kenyan night life. Painting Nairobi’s pulsating nights in incandescent shades, she both revels in the qualities of carefree youth and offers biting lyrical critiques of the culture to which she belongs.

Her command of the party scene led to her co-founding TYTE Entertainment, Inc., an in-demand musician booking agency. Muthoni also participates in the monthly Blankets & Wine music series, a family-friendly series that strives to create an all-ages space for innovative music to thrive in Nairobi.

Nina Ogot (Kenya) Singer, Songwriter

Award winning singer-songwriter Nina Ogot weaves traditional and contemporary Kenyan sounds into vibrant, infectious pop. A versatile singer and guitarist with lyrics that co-mingle French, English, Lingala, Luo, and Swali, Nina connects with large and diverse audiences. Blending Western folk, afropop, and, more recently, electronica, she delivers a soulful and magnetic sound.

As a communications student in France, Nina had her musical horizons broadened by the diversity of Francophone culture and the emerging potentials of new media. Cultivated from her past as a television and radio host, her expressive lyrical style tackles themes of political injustice with equal conviction as day-to-day struggles. Her introspective debut album, Ninairobi (2008), documents the cultural vibrancy of public space and the vivid urban environment of her native Nairobi.

Nina has collaborated with numerous musicians and producers across Africa and Europe. Her artful music videos, captivating television appearances, radio performances, and behind-the-scenes webseries, 4×4, have earned her international recognition. In 2011, she received the Kenya Film Commission Kalasha Award for Best Original Score.

Parfum Zola Bafiba (Democratic Republic of Congo) Percussionist

Moving with a calm, joyful cadence, Parfum Bafiba’s grooves are smooth and effortless. The Kinhasa-based percussionist’s glowing talent was acknowledged by renowned New York bassist, Ari Roland, who concluded that he had never, in his ten years of touring, seen such promise in a young drummer.

Parfum’s unparalleled rhythms have secured his place as an in-demand sideman in the Congolese afropop scene. Well-known guitarist and crooner Jean Goublet hand-picked the rising star to be part of his backup band. Parfum has also led his own his own ensembles exclusively comprised of drums.

Throughout his musical career, Parfum has displayed absolute dedication and perseverance in his journey. “We must have music in our blood,” Parfum notes when speaking about finding one’s voice amongst a sea of aspiring talent. Through his lo-fi homemade YouTube videos, one can observe the unshakable focus of this rock solid drummer.

Paul Sagna (Senegal) Rapper, MC

Growing up in the working class neighborhood of Rufisque, Senegal, Paul Pissety Sagna (aka PPS) hustled his way into the spotlight as a politically conscientious rapper and banner-bearing graffiti artist. While admired for his poetic lyrics and steady flow, his talents surpass these typical markers of a successful M.C. His ethos of “Guimi Guindi,” to stay awake and conscientious, is his driving principle.

A top contender in the national competition Nescafe African Revelation, Paul (self styled as P.P.S. the Writah) grabbed the attention of ROO RAP PROD’ACTION, a respected French label that released his debut high-octane solo album, The Xtape, in 2011.

P.P.S.’s passion for hip hop emerged alongside an intractable sense of social responsibility. A herald of the genre’s “golden age,” the rapper is the product of an emerging African style, embracing the ethos that hip hop can once again signal a renaissance of youth culture.

Piotr Kurek (Poland) Producer

Warsaw-based producer Piotr Kurek invents dense hypnotic instrumental worlds inspired by primeval chants and industrial ambience. Piotr favors spidery organ lines, creaking accordions and other analog flourishes in his electro-acoustic productions. Also known for his work with pioneering breakcore group Slepcy, Piotr uses jazz, krautrock, and classical art music as the bedrock of his wintry soundscapes.

Released by indie electronic labels like Crónica Electronic and Digitalis Recordings, Piotr’s avant cassettes and LPs have ignited positive buzz across the experimentally minded corners of the blogosphere. His dramatic landscapes have also found a home in the soundtracks for Poland’s contemporary Lublin Dance Theater and the Bialystok Puppet Theatre.

As a composer and performer, Piotr has been featured at numerous festivals across Central Europe, including Transmediale, Baltic Festival, UH Fest, and Gdansk Dance Festival. “Urban Afterimage,” a piece he co-authored, was selected as a finalist in the Malta International Theatre Festival in 2009.

Sayak Barua (India) Sarode Player

Born into a family with a profound lineage of musicians and artists, Sayak Barua is committed to sharing the sarode, an Indian instrument belonging to a rich classical tradition that “uplifts the soul and spirit.” Infusing eastern raga style with western traditions of blues and jazz, Sayak’s passages spark with meditative drones and flickering improvisations.

Sayak has consistently ranked high in national classical music competitions for his solo and ensemble work, and continues to expand his repertoire. He has eagerly sought to experiment with non-traditional instrumentation, including guitar and electronics, adding unexpected reverberations to his entrancing recitals.

After receiving a Master’s in instrumental music at Rabindrabharati University, Sayak was appointed to a prestigious position of Junior Research Fellow for the sarode by the Indian Ministry of Culture. His passion for education has led him to tour extensively throughout India, performing his ragas in diverse and remote regions of the country. In an expansive and heterogeneous country, Sayak’s soothing and meditative drones bridge ethnic and social divides.

Sidse Holte (Denmark) Singer, Songwriter

Indie singer-songwriter Sidse Holte furnishes Denmark’s musical landscape with sonorous, bittersweet melodies. The multi-instrumentalist, lyricist, and composer was the wunderkind behind a number of radio hits before taking a leading role as vocalist for the dreamy acoustic pop duo Monkey Cup Dress.

A vocalist, guitarist, percussionist, and ukulele player, Sidse sources from a broad array of influences, from sultry jazz standards to doleful, homespun folk. She has had numerous notable collaborations, including work with Band of Horses and Franka Abrahamsen. In 2008, Sidse landed in the national spotlight as a semifinalist in a competition to represent Denmark at the annual Eurovision Song Contest with her original song “Vi er der om lidt.”

Sidse has a personal investment in her robust arts community. She is a member of the board of the Danish Society for Jazz, Rock and Folk Composers, and also co-founded the Copenhagen Collaboration, an online collective of ten independent Danish bands.

Song-Hee Kwon (South Korea) Pansori Vocalist

With the caress of trembling, ineffable notes, Song-Hee Kwon beguiles ancient wisdom from times past for her very modern audience. An award-winning singer trained in the traditional Korean pansori vocal style, Song-Hee belts out soaring melodies, vivid trills, and cathartic narratives.

Upon completing her music training at the Graduate School of Hanyang University, Song-Hee saw her dramatic talents recognized by the Korean Arts Council with a grant to further her study and practice of pansori. Outside of her formal training, she is an avid music fan who finds inspiration in Flamenco, the sounds of the Roma, and Gut (Korean shamanic music).

While pansori is considered within traditional Korean culture to be a bastion of the cultivated elite, Song-Hee aims to share the ecstatic form with those of all socio-economic circumstances, including the disadvantaged in need of sagacity and encouragement. Replete with devout enthusiasm for her craft, Song-Hee seeks to share the operatic sounds of her tradition with audiences worldwide.

Sri Joko Raharjo (Indonesia) Percussionist, Puppeteer

Sri Joko Raharjo assiduously crafts his immaculate shadow puppet productions and chiming gamelan music on both on grand stages and in small villages. With a passion for sweeping narratives, the Indonesian musician and puppeteer’s classical renditions contain clever folk wisdom and astute allegories, which he believes are the lifeblood of his culture.

Graduating from the Conservatory of Javanese Music at the top of his class, Sri accelerated his studies at ISI Surakarta, where he now lectures on gamelan music. His wealth of knowledge and musicianship in the Indonesian tradition includes metallophones, xylophones, kendang drums, gongs, and bamboo flute.

Sri Joko was also a prominently featured musician in one of Robert Wilson’s recent theater works and performed in the groundbreaking work “Opera Java” by Indonesian director and filmmaker Garin Nugroho. Since 2005, he has been a resident musician under the prolific Rahayu Supanggah, one the most critically praised and well established Javanese composers today.

Usman Riaz (Pakistan) Guitarist, Pianist

Pakistani rock phenom Usman Riaz wields prodigious talent in the league of his influences, guitarists Kaki King and Michael Hedges. Shredding solos, accentuated by lightening fast picking and hand-tapped polyrhythms demarcate his percussive guitar style, which caught the eye of EMI Records and TED.

Usman Riaz’s technical acumen is staggering. His solo performance video “Fire Fly” went viral as 180,000 viewers marveled at the blur of his speedy fingers. He has also leant his cinematic playing to an independent film score. A profile from MTV and selection as a TED fellow represent the span of his media recognition.

On his most recent release, Circus in the Sky (2012), Usman dove passionately into epic orchestration. Rolling string arrangements are a natural extension of his grand aesthetic, and he manipulates their tones with the same deft precision as his guitar playing. His discipline, mammoth zeal, and willingness to experiment reveal a promising future for the young guitarist.

Vera Jonas (Hungary) Singer, Producer

Phasing electronic loops, atonal vocals, and an untraditional rhythmic vocabulary are some of the beautiful idiosyncrasies that can be found in Vera Jonas’ music. A vanguard of the experimental music scene in Hungary, Vera captivates audiences with her bewitching multi-layered soundscapes. Within each spectral pastiche, one discerns the meticulous arrangements of a classically trained composer.

When performing live, there is little that is beyond Vera’s imagination. A wildly inventive and improvisational performer, she sings, plays guitar and body percussion, does spoken word, and uses electronics to create enveloping soundscapes. Vera builds her dense harmonies using looping methods, aided by the rhythmic anchor of bass and drums.

While studying at the London Centre for Contemporary Music, fruitful collaborations crystallized into her trio, the Vera Jonas Experiment. Apart from playing with her own band, Vera has worked with established and emerging artists, writing lyrics in English and Hungarian for their material. She also scored original music for contemporary dance shows and collaborated with her generation’s pioneers of free improvised music.

Wael Jegham (Tunisia) Producer, Engineer

Mixing melismatic Berber melodies with mangled samples and raucous electronic beats, Wael Jengham brazenly overhauls the sound of the Maghreb. Wael’s group A5Tuna draws upon the diverse musical styles of North Africa including Rai, Chaabi, Malouf, and Tichumaren, with punk vigor. Windy guitar licks and aggressive drum fills are blended with synths runs and stabs of local instruments.

A self-taught musician and producer based in Tunisia, Wael creates genre-defying sounds that span across many mediums including film, television, and advertisement. As a composer, Wael has written original soundtracks for the short films L’Mrayet, L’Ambouba and Linge Sale, each of which have been honored as official selections at numerous international film festivals.

His command of both acoustic recording styles and electronic beat-making allows his recordings to occupy versatile landscapes. He currently lends his tinkering approach to Propaganda Production Company as their sound effects and mixing engineer.

Wei Wei (China) Laptop Composer

As one of the leading female experimental musicians in mainland China, Wei Wei’s intrepid sound balances atmospheric field recordings with improvisational synthesis and processed signals. What others might consider music-less environmental noise–electronic clicks, insect buzzing– Wei Wei uses as her unique sonic palette.

Wei Wei is one of the most adventurous and prolific artists in a burgeoning electronic music scene. Along with her solo project, Vavabond, Wei Wei maintains an ongoing collaboration with guitarist Li Jianhong and is a member of psychedelic noise group VagusNerve. Her varied interests include time-based practice, machine drones, and improvisational structures.

Wei Wei has performed at numerous experimental music venues, new media festivals, art exhibitions, and fashion shows. Some of these notable events include NOIShangai, the Mini Midid Music Festival, Get It Louder Exhibition, and the 2PI Festival. She is also an organizing member of experimental music label China Free Improvisation (CFI).

Weronika Partyka (Poland) Saxophonist, Singer

Marrying eclectic instrumentation and the quivering “white voice” technique with modern electro-acoustic manipulation, Weronika Partyka invokes a place of longing. Her group, Vidlunnia, derived from the Ukrainian word for echo, gestures to the ancestral rites of an Eastern European folk tradition that is spectral and unearthly, reinterpreting rural Polish music across space and time.

With a sense of deep connection to her Polish roots, Weronika updates the traditional song structures of her country with dashes of musique concrète. A gifted improviser with a rare touch for the saxophone, Weronika graduated from the Academy of Music in Poznan. She soon went on to embrace native ethnic instruments, including the duduk, okaryna, and fujara, with the dedication of a classically trained musician.

Weronika has performed with the Art of Sound Saxophone Quartet and the Monolit Trio. She has also fostered fertile collaborations with a number of artists, including Rafal Zapala, in the spirit of promoting her home’s folk tradition.

Youmna Saba (Lebanon) Singer, Oud Player

Youmna Saba is a mature siren of lilting melodies. Pairing her visceral command of acoustic and melancholy vocals with traditional Arabic stringed oud and luscious maqam singing style, Youmna experiments with unconventional prepared techniques and the use of non-musical objects in her recordings.

While in Beirut to pursue graphic design, Youmna made her performance debut one fateful evening at a friend’s art show. This informal, fortuitous invitation revealed her budding musical talent and catapulted Youmna’s career in a new direction. She soon circled back to the world of education to build a classical Arab repertoire of the 19th and 20th century. In just a few short years, the singer-songwriter has stepped into her own, enraptured by the rich music of her lineage. She has released two EPs of her own stunning material.

For Youmna, songwriting has become like a diary, an unconscious natural extension of daily life. Her elaborate knowledge of ancient music traditions, pensive emotionality, and delicate pop sensibilities make her music both intoxicating and sympathetic.