Kuné World

Artists with Orchestra   Global Music   Jazz  

Kuné (which means together in Esperanto) 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...

Kuné (which means together in Esperanto) 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, Kuné 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.

Kuné – 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 Kuné became an independent collective and recorded a second album (LulaWorld Records, 2023), recipient of the Pushing the Boundaries award at the Canadian Folk Music Awards 2024.

Since then, they presented several concerts in major Canadian stages (Koerner Hall, the National Arts Center, Harbourfront Centre and the National Music Center) and festivals (Luminato, Toronto Jazz Fest, Canadian Stage, Westben, Ness Creek, Hillside, and Sunfest). Last Fall, they presented an official showcase at Folk Alliance International 2024.

Kuné World – Canada’s Global Orchestra – includes:
Ahmed Moneka, vocals, percussion
Aline Morales, vocals, percussion
Demetri Petsalakis, guitar & oud
Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk, violin
Dora Wang, dizi, flute
Lasso Sanou, vocals, ngoni, percussion
Luis Deniz, alto saxophone
Matias Recharte, drumkit
Paco Luviano, Bass
Padideh Ahrarnejad, tar
Selcuk Suna, vocals, clarinet & tenor saxophone

© Zahra Saleki

Projects

KUNÉ World: a Global Symphonic Experience

Universal Echoes

Holiday Show (New!)

Videos

New teaser 2024

Kuné in concert

Mãe d'Àgua

Kuné-Teaser

Hymn to Freedom

Photos

© Zahra Saleki
© Zahra Saleki
© Zahra Saleki
© Zahra Saleki
© Zahra Saleki
© Andrew M. Daddio
© Lisa Sakulsnsky

Reviews

These masters have created music that all of us can relate to, created by instruments that are not often played in an ensemble together. I found the music and the words on this album truly inspiring. Highly recommended.

— Bangkok Post

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. In fact, one could say that Kuné’s performances are a living, breathing example of the spirit of Esperanto. This is an album of glorious music with an impactful message that will speak to people all over the world.

— Qantara.de (Arabic world publication of the Deutsche Welle)

Universal Echoes is a testament to the power of a pluralistic vision of the future, in which innovative, cross-cultural responses come from a deep commitment to traditional culture and an openness to dialog and transformation.

— World Music Central

Together, Kuné members compose, arrange and perform music that honors their cultural roots and creates connections with others through curiosity, experimentation and dialogue.

— Canadian National Multilingual News Group

Kune [fuse] eleven musical traditions and twenty-five instruments into an ear-spinning confection of leaping melodies and luscious timbres.

— rootsmusic.ca

Kuné is a musical journey that takes listeners on a trip around the world…

— Now Magazine (Toronto)

It doesn’t get any more multicultural than [Kune].

— The Ottawa Citizen (Ottawa)

Calendar

August

30 August 2025

November

5 November 2025
25 November 2025

Kuné World - Shenkman Arts Centre

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

December

3 December 2025
10 December 2025

Kuné World - FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada

April

18 April 2026

Contacts

Agent Canada and United States   Annick-Patricia Carrière 1 514-996-2839