Berkeley Makam Festival
May 9, 2025 | 5 pm-12 pm | ASHKENAZ
Event Overview:
The Makam Festival is an immersive celebration of the rich, centuries-old tradition of makam music—a melodic and modal system with deep historical roots across the Middle East, North Africa, Anatolia, the Mediterranean, and beyond. This festival in 2025 honors the diverse musical cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean and surrounding regions, highlighting the shared emotional and cultural threads through which makam music connects communities. Through performances, workshops, and immersive experiences, the festival brings this vibrant tradition to life while offering a platform for artists from historically marginalized communities.
Organized by the Anatolian Arts Institute with support from Berkeley Civic Arts, ACTA, and Ashkenaz, the Makam Festival fosters cultural exchange and deepens connections through music.
Anatolian Arts is dedicated to connecting with Anatolian roots through participatory and multidisciplinary arts and cultural heritage programs, bringing these traditions and contemporary interpretations to the Bay Area.​​
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Event
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Flow & Schedule:
Venue Access: 4:30 PM: Doors Open
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Workshop:
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5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
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Halay-Govend Dance and Music Workshop
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(Kurdish + Turkish Line Dances & Singing/Rhythm Class with Bendir & Erbane)
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Free Entry & Location: Back Studio
(Please make sure you register we have limited space)​
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This workshop explores Kurdish and Turkish traditional line dances, along with a class on singing and rhythm. The session is open to all and aims to promote cross-cultural exchange through music and movement. Please feel free to bring any instrument. We will have extra bendirs to be rented or sold.
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Intentional Space hold by Kafenia Peace Collective.
No events at the moment
Performances
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7:00 PM – 7:30 PM: Food Delights & Community Meeting
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Enjoy food produced and sold by underrepresented communities, creating a space for meaningful connection and shared experience.
Intentional Space: As part of the community gathering, this space fosters dialogue, reflection, and connection around shared values of peace, culture, and community, hosted by the Kafenia Peace Collective.
7:30 PM – 8:00 PM: Kombos Collective
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The Kombos Collective will perform from its program Vardari, exploring shared Balkan melodies across the region’s folk and urban folk traditions. This performance will explore the connections between Greek music and other Mediterranean and Balkan traditions, emphasizing shared melodies and cultural influences across these regions.
8:15 PM – 9:00 PM: Teslim
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This performance presents modal music from the Eastern Mediterranean, Anatolia and Middle East, featuring instruments such as violin, oud, lyra, and percussion. The program reflects deep cultural and spiritual connections, with the musicians showcasing their own compositions after years of study and involvement in these musical traditions.
9:15 PM – 10:00 PM: Imamyar Hasanov
Imamyar Hasanov, an internationally renowned Azerbaijani-American kamancha virtuoso, performs an evocative solo set, drawing from the profound realms of Mugham (Makam) tradition. His music is a journey through emotional landscapes, bringing Azerbaijani traditional music into conversation with global musical elements.
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10:00 PM – 10:30 PM: Auction + Intentional Space
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A moment to engage in community support through an auction of local artworks, instruments, and unique artifacts, all aimed at furthering the Berkeley Makam Festival’s mission and supporting local artists and communities at risk.
Dance Floor Opens:
10:30 PM – 12:00 PM: Ariya Rengin
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Celebrate the lively rhythms of Kurdish music with Ariya Rengin, a vibrant group performing traditional Kurdish music and folk melodies, as well as Turkish and Armenian, Their dynamic performance connects audiences to the deep-rooted traditions of the Anatolian region, bridging cultural and musical divides.
Festival Mission
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The Makam Festival celebrates the emotional depth and cultural richness of makam music. This festival serves as a platform for musical exchange, honoring traditional music and the communities that continue to carry these traditions forward. By uniting diverse artistic voices, we foster understanding and connection, empowering communities at risk to share their unique stories through the universal language of music.
Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, dance, food, and community!
GENERAL DEFINITION OF THE MAKAM MUSIC
Makam music (also known as maqam, mugam, and by other names across regions) is a centuries-old tradition that weaves a rich melodic tapestry stretching from Andalusia to India, reflecting the deep historical connections and cultural diversity of the Middle East, North Africa, Anatolia, the Mediterranean, and beyond. Defined by intricate modal systems—each with unique intervals, microtonal nuances, and improvisational styles—makam represents a shared musical language rooted in place, memory, and emotion.
The Festival celebrates this living heritage, offering a platform to experience the emotional depth and cultural richness embedded in each mode, and fostering connection through the universal language of music. It also honors the authentic bearers of these traditions—many of whom come from communities that continue to face struggle, both here and in their homelands, regardless of state, ethnicity, or religious identity. This is often the case, which is why we believe we can empower these communities by bringing their storytelling—whether through words or wordless sound—to the forefront.
ARTISTS BIOS
IMAMYAR HASANOV
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Imamyar Hasanov is an internationally acclaimed Azerbaijani-American kamancha virtuoso, renowned for his exceptional artistry and versatility as an arranger, performer, and educator. He bridges the rich traditions of Azerbaijani music with global musical landscapes, fostering cross-cultural understanding and appreciation. He is especially recognized for his deep commitment to the Mugham (Makam) tradition, while bringing his own unique signature by navigating the most profound realms of human emotional geography.
Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, Hasanov began his musical journey at the age of seven, eventually becoming the youngest soloist in Azerbaijan's National Music Instruments Orchestra. He holds a Master's degree in Art and Music from the Azerbaijan State Conservatory, where he studied under Professor Agha Jabrayil Abasaliyev, specializing in the art of mugham.Hasanov has been a key figure in academic and cultural exchanges, holding teaching and performance positions at prestigious institutions such as Stanford University, where he has worked with students and faculty to explore the intersections of traditional Azerbaijani music with Western music.
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He has also been involved in programs at other renowned universities, contributing to the academic and cultural enrichment of their music departments.As the Global Music Director for the San Francisco World Music Festival, Hasanov has played a pivotal role in curating and leading successful world music festivals. His leadership has been instrumental in bringing diverse musical traditions to the forefront, fostering a deeper understanding of global cultures through music.Hasanov's contributions extend beyond performance and festival leadership; he has been a catalyst in preserving and revitalizing Azerbaijani traditional music. Through his innovative approach, he has created a body of work that resonates within both classical and world music spheres, ensuring the enduring vitality of Azerbaijani musical heritage.
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TESLIM
TESLIM is a dynamic Bay Area ensemble that weaves together musical traditions from the Eastern Mediterranean, Anatolian, the Middle East, and beyond. Founded by Kaila Flexer (violin, tarhui) and Gary Haggerty (oud, saz, mandocello, tarhu), the group is known for its soulful compositions and deep respect for modal music traditions.
Kaila Flexer is a violinist, composer, educator, and producer with decades of experience performing and curating Jewish music festivals such as Klezmer Mania! and Pomegranates & Figs. She has recorded with groups like Third Ear and Next Village, and continues to compose and teach in her Oakland studio.
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Gary Haggerty plays a range of bowed and plucked string instruments from Greece and Turkey. A seasoned performer with groups like Stellamara, Janam, and The Helladelics, Gary is also a skilled luthier, restoring and crafting stringed instruments. He has studied with masters such as Naseer Shamma, Ross Daly, and Kelly Thoma, and his work bridges musical craftsmanship with spiritual practice through involvement in Sufi ceremonial music. In addition to his artistic contributions, Gary serves on the board of the Anatolian Arts Institute as well as the Society for Turkish Classical Music, furthering his commitment to cultural preservation and education.
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Elana Brutman brings the ethereal sounds of the Cretan lyra with sympathetic strings, an instrument she has deeply studied through intensive training at Ross Daly’s Labyrinth center in Crete. Her playing draws from Byzantine, Turkish, and Indian classical traditions.
Joshua Mellinger adds rhythmic depth with frame drums, zarb, cajon, and tabla. A CalArts-trained percussionist, Josh performs with various Bay Area ensembles and continues his tabla studies under Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri at the Ali Akbar College of Music.
Together, Teslim offers a transcendent musical experience that celebrates cross-cultural collaboration and the beauty of modal music traditions.
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Josh Mellinger is a world percussionist based in the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland, OR. Specializing in tabla, doumbek, frame drum, riq, tonbak, cajon, pandeiro, drum set, and steel pan, he blends global, classical, and contemporary styles. A graduate of CalArts, he has studied tabla for over 14 years with Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. Josh performs and records widely, collaborating with artists like Van-Anh Vo, Stringquake, Teslim, and GamelanX.
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ARIYA RENGIN
Ariya Rengin is a music group founded by Kurdish artists Evin Salgut Åžahin and Oktay Åžahin, both graduates of Istanbul University State Conservatory. Rooted primarily in Kurdish musical traditions, their repertoire also includes Armenian and Turkish songs, creating a rich and interwoven sound that connects cultures and generations. Now based in the Bay Area, they collaborate with local musicians and continue to contribute to both regional and international music scenes through original compositions and performances.Long:Founded in 2007 by Kurdish artists Evin Salgut Åžahin and Oktay Åžahin, Ariya Rengin is a music group that celebrates the richness of traditional Kurdish music while embracing a broader Anatolian soundscape. Born in MuÅŸ, Türkiye, both Evin and Oktay hold degrees from Istanbul University State Conservatory’s Music Department.
Evin has dedicated herself to the preservation and performance of traditional Kurdish and Dengbêjî music, while Oktay has honed his skills in composition and musical direction. Their shared passion for music has led them to explore multiple creative fields, including acting and voice work for films, documentaries, and short films. Together, they have composed original music and contributed to a wide range of media projects. Ariya Rengin’s repertoire includes traditional Kurdish songs as well as Armenian and Turkish folk pieces, a testament to their artistic versatility and commitment to cultural dialogue. Now based in the Bay Area, Evin and Oktay continue to collaborate with local musicians and expand their artistic horizons. Their dedication to their craft and community has made them important contributors to the Kurdish music scene and beyond.
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KOMBOS COLLECTIVE
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Featuring: Ellie Falaris Ganelin, voice and flute J. Maddox, guitar.
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The Kombos Collective (formerly the Greek Chamber Music Project) is a Bay Area-based ensemble that presents captivating musical programming inspired by the diverse cultural landscape of the Hellenic world. With a mission to elevate the work of Greek composers and the broader musical traditions of the Greek diaspora, Kombos brings together tradition, innovation, and cross-cultural exploration through intimate and thoughtfully curated performances.
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Founded by musicians with roots in both Greek culture and Western classical music, Kombos is known for its unique approach to programming—highlighting everything from contemporary chamber music and reimagined folk songs to historically informed interpretations of traditional melodies.
Kombos has released several acclaimed full-length albums and has performed at prestigious venues including the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Library of Congress, and numerous cultural institutions and universities across the U.S. and Canada.In their latest project, Vardari, the Kombos Collective explores the rich, intertwined musical heritage of the Eastern Mediterranean and Balkans through shared melodies—performing songs that exist in Turkish, Armenian, Greek, and other Balkan traditions. By presenting the same melody across languages and cultures, they invite audiences to hear both the common threads and the unique interpretations that emerge from each tradition. This project reflects Kombos’s deep commitment to fostering dialogue, empathy, and understanding through music.
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KAFENIA PEACE COLLECTIVE
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Kafenia Peace Collective is a Greek-inspired global living room that brings together people of diverse cultures and backgrounds for friendship, dialogue, and civic engagement.Long:Kafenia Peace Collective is a Greek-inspired global living room that fosters connection and understanding across cultures. The term "Kafenia" is the feminine form of "Kafeneio" ( "kahvehane in Turkish"), which refers to traditional coffee houses in Greece.
These spaces have long served as informal gathering spots where people come together to converse, share ideas, and build community. Kafenia Peace Collective reimagines this tradition by cultivating an intentional space—one that emphasizes empathy, inclusivity, and co-creation—for individuals from diverse backgrounds to come together in friendship, dialogue, and civic engagement.
Kafenia offers a platform for sharing personal stories, building relationships, and exploring shared humanity through meaningful conversation and collaboration. The Collective has a history of working with a wide range of communities—including North African immigrants, Indigenous leaders, and policymakers—creating intentional spaces where these groups can come together to address shared concerns and engage in collective action.
Through its innovative programming, Kafenia facilitates opportunities for individuals and groups to bring personal stories of experience into broader power-building efforts. By centering voices that have historically been marginalized, Kafenia Peace Collective fosters deeper understanding across cultures, while actively working to bridge divides and create spaces for mutual learning, collaboration, and growth.Through workshops, dialogues, and creative projects, Kafenia encourages participants to reflect on their shared histories and forge connections that transcend geographical, cultural, and political boundaries. In doing so, they contribute to the larger goal of fostering peace and solidarity in an increasingly disconnected world.
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