OSVALDO HERNANDEZ NAPOLES
Osvaldo Hernandez Napoles was born in Ixmiquilpan in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico. At age 19, he decided to travel across Latin America, starting with his home country of Mexico, in search of traditional instruments which he was quick to master. His collection reflects the continent's very moving history. It ranges from pre-Columbian native instruments to those of the Africans brought by force to the New World and those of the different generations of European colonists.
A resident of Belgium for more than 20 years, Osvaldo has travelled widely, contributing his experience to countless musical projects such as Deep Forest, Marlène Dorcena, Rosa Brandão, Aura Msimang, Abdelli, Sidiki Camara, Ialma, Vaya Con Dios, Karim Baggili, Taïga Maya de Thierry Van Roy & Mélanie Gabriel, and group projects like Apikon-Dia and Blindnote, to mention just a few. He has also collaborated on theatrical productions including Invisible by Philippe Blasband, Bruits by Karl Valentin, and Daniel Danis' Le pont de pierres et la peau d'images.
KARIM BAGGILI
Karim Baggili, a Belgian national of Jordanian and Yugoslav origin, is a young composer and guitarist who taught himself to play the oud.
He began playing the electric guitar at age 16 and went on to discover different Flamenco guitar and Arab lute techniques. Karim has played with a number of groups, including Dazibao, Turdus Philomelos, Traces, Nathalie Loriers, Blindnote, and so on.
Karim has written and composed a number of musical works: Aton Lua, Douar, Cuatro con Cuatro and his latest CD, Lea & Kash.
PATRICIA VAN CAUWENBERGE
Patricia Van Cauwenberge, a Belgian, devoted her early years to classical and contemporary dance, studying at the Mudra school.
Later she developed an interest in traditional and character dance. She travelled throughout Argentina to study Malambo, the dance of the gauchos performed with a hunting instrument, the boleadoras. She has also learned to play a range of Afro-Latin American percussion instruments.
Patricia has collaborated on a wide range of projects, including the Cirque du Soleil's production of Saltimbanco, Lea & Kash, Taïga-Maya, Amalgama and Nahui-Ollin.
VARDAN HOVANISSIAN
Vardan Hovanissian, of Armenian origin, is recognised as one of the leading specialists on Armenian traditional flutes such as the doudouk and the chvi.
He studied, among other places, at the Romanos Melikian Music College in Erevan. He has played with the national folklore instruments ensemble and different musical groups including Gandzsar, Marathouk and Ervand Saharouny.
Vardan has lived in Belgium for more than 12 years and has recorded with Arax, Yasmine Levy, Nara, Doucha, Abdelli, Blindnote, Hijaz, and more.
