Constantinople is a Montreal-based early music and middle eastern music ensemble. The group was formed in 2001 by its artistic director Kiya Tabassian (setar).
In its creations, Constantinople collaborates with prominent figures in the music industry such as Kayhan Kalhor, Ablaye Cissoko, Ghalia Benali, Françoise Atlan, Hana Blaà ¾ÃÂková, Shashank Subramanyam, and Marco Beasley.
Constantinople produces three or four new works each year and travels to collaborate with top musicians based on project requirements. These creations form the regular season presented in Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, and Toronto. Subsequently, the works are featured in performance tours across Canada and internationally. Some of these creations are also recorded. Over the years, Constantinople has developed nearly 60 creations, with 23 being recorded, and has toured in more than 290 cities across 57 countries.
Two of its most recent creations include "Traversées," featuring Ablaye Cissoko, and "Chants d'Espoir" with Kayhan Kalhor.
In 2024, the Constantinople ensemble won the 2024 JUNO Awards for the Best Classical Album of the Year (Small Ensemble) with Il Ponte di Leonardo. In 2025, they won the Classical award at the AndÃÂl Awards for their album Pilgrimage in collaboration with Cappella Mariana.
The musical ensemble was created in 2001 by the Iranian-Canadian brothers, Kiya and Ziya Tabassian, who arrived in Quebec as teenagers.
Kiya Tabassian is the artistic director of the ensemble. Having arrived in Montreal in 1990 at the age of 14, he grew up in Iran. At the age of 12, Kiya Tabassian discovered and immediately became passionate about the setâr. The desire to create and compose music emerged through his practice of the instrument; even at a young age, he reinterpreted pieces from the traditional repertoire of Persian music.
The musical project of Constantinople revolves around a perpetual blending of cultures and encounters between musicians from around the world. Rather than simply recomposing ancient and traditional music, the ensemble focuses on creating entirely new works inspired by various places and periods.
Constantinople's first album was released in 2001 under the ATMA Classique label. Its discography counts 21 albums in 2023.
Constantinople stands as one of the most active Montreal-based ensembles on the international stage, having performed in renowned venues and festivals worldwide:
Kiya Tabassian, born in Tehran in 1976, serves as the artistic director of the ensemble. He is frequently joined by certain musicians in many projects, including Didem Baà Âar (kanun), Patrick Graham (percussions), Tanya LaPerrière (viola d'amore), and Hamin Honari (percussions).
The Constantinople ensemble aims to interpret a diverse repertoire spanning medieval, baroque, and contemporary aesthetics, from the Mediterranean Europe to the East. With over 50 creations to its credit, the ensemble has performed concerts in more than 55 countries. In "Passages," the ensemble showcases the Iranian setâr, Turkish kamancheh, Lebanese oud, Persian tombak, and kanun.