OKTOECHO Marks 25th Anniversary of Cross-Cultural Musical Collaboration

Twenty-five years ago, long before intercultural dialogue had assumed the prominent place it holds today in the arts community, Oktoecho was already placing encounters between cultures at the heart of its artistic practice.

Founded in 2001 by composer and artistic director Katia Makdissi-Warren, the Montreal-based ensemble brings together artists from musical traditions that, at the time, rarely crossed paths: Middle Eastern, Western, First Nations, Inuit, and other musical traditions from around the world.

This approach has grown and evolved over the years through the work of Lydia Etok, an Inuit artist, and Nina Segalowitz, an artist of Dene and Inuvialuit heritage, who are now Co-Artistic Directors of Oktoecho's Indigenous programming.

“When I founded Oktoecho, I dreamed of creating a space where musical traditions could meet while respecting their distinct identities, without ever erasing one another. Twenty-five years later, I am deeply moved to see that this dream has become a community of artists, partners, and audiences who share this vision: music has an immense power to bring people closer together, build bridges, and transform the way we see others and ourselves,” explains Katia Makdissi-Warren, founder and artistic director.

Since its creation, Oktoecho has presented hundreds of concerts across Canada and internationally, from Lincoln Center in New York to South Korea, as well as in Chile, Spain, Morocco, Lebanon, France, Nunavik, and numerous regions across Canada.

Bringing Major Musical Institutions Together

Oktoecho has also developed major collaborations with orchestras and ensembles, including a creation bringing together thirteen Indigenous artists with the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, as well as projects with, among others, the Orchestre National de Bretagne, Les Violons du Roy, and I Musici.

Passing on Knowledge as Well as Creating

For more than fifteen years, Oktoecho's youth programming has introduced more than 80,000 young people to Inuit throat singing and Middle Eastern music. Workshops, residencies, participatory concerts, and mentorship programs have taken place in cities and remote communities across Quebec, from the Gaspésie region to Nunavik, as well as in France.

This commitment to transmission continues with the next generation of professional musicians through Okto-Relève, which supports young artists in learning traditional music from around the world and creating new works inspired by these traditions. A new initiative developed in collaboration with École de musique Vincent-d'Indy – CEGEP Division also provides students with specialized training. For Oktoecho, transmission is an integral part of creation.

Encounters with Indigenous Peoples Around the World

In Canada, Oktoecho has collaborated with artists from approximately fifteen Indigenous nations, developing artistic relationships grounded in listening, respect, and shared creation.

This approach now extends well beyond Canada. Oktoecho has created encounters between Indigenous artists from Canada and Aboriginal artists from Australia, Māori artists from New Zealand, and Mapuche artists from Chile. New projects are currently in development to continue this dialogue and build a network where Indigenous artists from different parts of the world can share their knowledge and practices and imagine new forms of artistic creation together.

An Anniversary Year Looking to the Future

In 2026, Oktoecho continues to expand its international presence with the creation Écliptique, presented in South Korea and soon to tour the Basque Country.

In Quebec, the anniversary year will be marked, among other things, by a co-production bringing together Oktoecho and the Chœurs du Plateau, conducted by Roseline Blain, who will present Les Grands Espaces at the Fonderie Darling as part of the concert Expositions sonores (September 1 at 7 p.m.). This will be followed by L'Écho des mondes, with the Orchestre classique de Montréal, conducted by Andrei Feher, as part of the Festival du Monde Arabe, in collaboration with the Association culturelle et d'amitié Turquebec (November 5). Finally, Devenir fleuve, with the Orchestre symphonique de l'Estuaire and Léa Moisan-Perrier, will be presented on November 7.

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