Stellamara

Stellamara biography

Stellamara is an ensemble specialized in Southeast European and Middle Eastern folk. The group began in 1994, when vocalist Sonja Drakulich followed her vision and created a vehicle for the development of devotional music based in Near Eastern and medieval modal traditions. Extraordinary musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds have since come together within the vessel of Stellamara, creating music with a common intention: to celebrate love, beauty and unity through transcendent harmony, perfect dissonance and passionate rhythms. Rooted in Turkish, Arabic, Balkan, European medieval and Persian musical traditions, Stellamara carries a deep devotion to the music of these cultures with a unique timeless expression. At Stellamara’s core are Sonja Drakulich and multi-instrumentalist Gari Hegedus. Together with co-writer and cellist Rufus Cappodocia, they weave together a bridge of unity as they collaborate with an array of inspired musicians. Their music unveils the deep relationship between seemingly disparate cultures while surpassing any confines of tradition. Through the use of makam - traditional Middle Eastern modal scales and melodic structure - Stellamara’s strong connection to cultural origin is clear, yet they gracefully blend musical forms with both a passionate, highly personal aesthetic and subtle, otherworldly ambiance. With two critically acclaimed albums, several compilations and independent film scores, Stellamara is now at the forefront in creating highly innovative performances and recordings. They are internationally regarded as a new model in contemporary world music and have developed as an everexpanding vehicle, revealing sublime new levels of mystery, beauty and depth. Official website: www.stellamara.com