“Kuné have been together for several years, and Universal Echoes is an example of just how tight the ensemble has become. Not only are the song’s lyrics beautiful and intelligent, the music is an incredible mixture of sounds and rhythms. Somehow this melange of sounds and cultures from all over the world creates a language that speaks to all of us.”
“Kuné is a musical journey that takes listeners on a trip around the world...”
electronic press kit
ABOUT
Short Bio
KUNE – Canada’s Global Orchestra – explores and celebrates Canada’s cultural diversity through the shared language of music. The eleven musicians hail from all corners of the globe—from Peru, Burkina Faso, China, Iran and beyond—and, together, create a sound that is at once global and uniquely local.
Long Bio
KUNÉ is an eleven-piece collective made up of ten immigrant musicians from all over the world and one metis-Canadian. Their artistic practice captures and recreates the experience of living in Toronto, one of the world's most diverse cities. KUNÉ is a space in which to remember our roots and learn from each other’s differences. Together, KUNE members compose, arrange and perform music that honors their cultural roots and creates connections with others through curiosity, experimentation and dialogue. The musicians hail from all corners of the globe—from Peru, Burkina Faso to Cuba and Turkey— and play instruments as diverse as they are, from the tar of Iran to the dizi of China.
KUNE – Canada’s Global Orchestra – was developed from a major initiative by The Royal Conservatory of Music in 2017 to explore and celebrate Canada’s cultural diversity and pluralism. In 2021 KUNE became an independent collective and recorded a second album released in 2023 by LulaWorld Records. KUNE has played in major Canadian stages like Koerner Hall, the National Arts Center and the National Music Center and festivals like Ness Creek, Hillside, and Sunfest. In 2019 KUNE toured in the US for the first time and are scheduled to tour again in the fall of 2024.
Ahmed Moneka, darbuka, vocals
Aline Morales, vocals, congas, pandeiro, alfaia & zabumba
Demetri Petsalakis, lyra, guitar & oud
Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk, violin & viola
Dora Wang, dizi, xiao & alto flute
Salif “Lasso” Sanou, vocals, djembe, n’goni, peul flute & tama
Luis Deniz, alto saxophone
Matias Recharte, drum, cajón & percussion
Paco Luviano, double bass & electric bass
Padideh Ahrarnejad, tar
Selcuk Suna, vocals, clarinet & tenor saxophone
KUNÉ – Meet the Band
Global Toronto 2022
PRESS QUOTES & tESTIMONIALS
“WOW!! What JOY. This made my heart sing for you, for Kune, for Canada”,
- Denise Donlon
“An absolute joy to host, Kune lends a whole new meaning to the word “harmony” – the ensemble is a masterful collective of engaging, respectful, and brilliantly talented musicians coming together to share and revel in one another’s life journeys. As a Canadian, my first reaction is to claim such welcoming, enthusiastic openness as the best of what can happen in my country, but in truth, it is deeply universal. Kune is at once beguilingly unique and universally engaging.”
- Brian Findlay, Westben
"My audience and I cherished the experiences we had with KUNE - Canada's Global Orchestra over the past couple days. It was an honor to host their U.S. debut concert, and I am glad to have had the chance to meet and work with the executive director of The Royal Conservatory of Music, Mervon Mehta….I encourage any/all of my NYC friends to check them out!"
- Brian Zellmer, Kutztown University
MUSIC
Listen to “KUNE – Canada’s Global Orchestra (2018)” album below. Use the “Download” button beside each track to download high quality MP3’s. Tracks can be used for promotional purposes only.
