7/5

Garden of Silence

Neither You Nor I

Photographer: Ludwig Schmidtpeter

Nine musicians from three continents come together in a shared musical expression where tradition and the future meet. Garden of Silence moves within a poetic borderland where resonant, at times meditative soundscapes intertwine with warm melodies. Neither You Nor I is rooted in a rubai by the Persian poet, mathematician, philosopher, and astronomer Omar Khayyam, who lived in the 11th century. Within this framework, the ensemble creates a unified whole in which melodies, rhythms, and tonal worlds become an artistic manifestation grounded in the musicians’ cultural backgrounds and the creative dialogue that connects them—a dialogue that extends far beyond the music and radiates compassion, joy, love, and a profound gratitude for the present moment.

Neither you nor I will know the secrets of eternity
Neither you nor I will read this letter of the riddle.
The dialogue between you and me is behind the veil,
When the veil falls, neither you remain nor I.
– Omar Khayyam

Garden of Silence began in 2009 when the harpist, composer, and singer Asita Hamidi, born to Iranian parents and raised in Iran, Austria, and Switzerland—awoke from a dream with the memory of an irresistible yet enigmatic sound. Together with bassist Björn Meyer, born in Sweden but based in Switzerland, she set out to form an ensemble capable of realising her sonic vision—not by searching for a specific instrumentation, but by finding musicians whose experiences and traditions could bring it to life.

Journeys to Iran, Egypt, and Sweden resulted in an ensemble with an unusual palette of instruments: nyckelharpa, violin, cello, duduk, bass clarinet, soprano saxophone, electric bass, bass mandola, percussion, and two distinct voices. A vivid, pulsating meeting between strong musical personalities.

The project was ready to premiere in 2012 but was interrupted when Asita passed away unexpectedly.

Now, after more than a decade of silence, the music has taken shape once again in new arrangements. The original core is joined by three new members, and the ensemble emerges with renewed vitality.

“On the album, the many voices of the ensemble merge into an extraordinary sound born of centuries of traditions—yet open, curious, and oriented toward the future.”

Garden of Silence is founded on the belief that music evolves through encounters between different experiences and traditions. In this collaboration, an expression emerges marked by depth, attentiveness, and a strong sense of music’s narrative potential.

Garden of Silence has a clear mission: to share the power that is released when like-minded musicians create something deeply meaningful together—something greater than the sum of its parts.

On stage:
Björn Meyer (SE CH) – artistic director, bass and bass mandola
Emilia Amper (SE) – nyckelharpa (keyed fiddle)
Karin Streule (CH) – vocals
Veronika Stalder (CH) – vocals
Reza Asgarzadeh (IR) – duduk
Kaspar Rast (CH) – drums and percussion
Carlo Niederhauser (CH) – cello
Klaus Gesing (DE) – bass clarinet and soprano saxophone
Mohammed Sami (EG) – violin

Doors

19:00

On stage

19:30

Facebookevent

The project was ready to premiere in 2012 but was interrupted when Asita passed away unexpectedly.

Now, after more than a decade of silence, the music has taken shape once again in new arrangements. The original core is joined by three new members, and the ensemble emerges with renewed vitality.

“On the album, the many voices of the ensemble merge into an extraordinary sound born of centuries of traditions—yet open, curious, and oriented toward the future.”

Garden of Silence has a clear mission: to share the power that is released when like-minded musicians create something deeply meaningful together—something greater than the sum of its parts.

7/5

Garden of Silence

Neither You Nor I

Photographer: Ludwig Schmidtpeter

The project was ready to premiere in 2012 but was interrupted when Asita passed away unexpectedly.

Now, after more than a decade of silence, the music has taken shape once again in new arrangements. The original core is joined by three new members, and the ensemble emerges with renewed vitality.

“On the album, the many voices of the ensemble merge into an extraordinary sound born of centuries of traditions—yet open, curious, and oriented toward the future.”

Garden of Silence has a clear mission: to share the power that is released when like-minded musicians create something deeply meaningful together—something greater than the sum of its parts.

Doors

19:00

On stage

19:30

Facebookevent

The project was ready to premiere in 2012 but was interrupted when Asita passed away unexpectedly.

Now, after more than a decade of silence, the music has taken shape once again in new arrangements. The original core is joined by three new members, and the ensemble emerges with renewed vitality.

“On the album, the many voices of the ensemble merge into an extraordinary sound born of centuries of traditions—yet open, curious, and oriented toward the future.”

Garden of Silence has a clear mission: to share the power that is released when like-minded musicians create something deeply meaningful together—something greater than the sum of its parts.

7/5

Garden of Silence

Neither You Nor I

Photographer: Ludwig Schmidtpeter

The project was ready to premiere in 2012 but was interrupted when Asita passed away unexpectedly.

Now, after more than a decade of silence, the music has taken shape once again in new arrangements. The original core is joined by three new members, and the ensemble emerges with renewed vitality.

“On the album, the many voices of the ensemble merge into an extraordinary sound born of centuries of traditions—yet open, curious, and oriented toward the future.”

Garden of Silence has a clear mission: to share the power that is released when like-minded musicians create something deeply meaningful together—something greater than the sum of its parts.

Doors

19:00

On stage

19:30

Facebookevent

The project was ready to premiere in 2012 but was interrupted when Asita passed away unexpectedly.

Now, after more than a decade of silence, the music has taken shape once again in new arrangements. The original core is joined by three new members, and the ensemble emerges with renewed vitality.

“On the album, the many voices of the ensemble merge into an extraordinary sound born of centuries of traditions—yet open, curious, and oriented toward the future.”

Garden of Silence has a clear mission: to share the power that is released when like-minded musicians create something deeply meaningful together—something greater than the sum of its parts.