An intimate musical encounter shaped by beauty, imagination, and more than fifteen years of artistic collaboration.

In Estuary, Constantinople brings Persian setar virtuoso Kiya Tabassian, Senegalese kora master and vocalist Ablaye Cissoko, and percussionist Patrick Graham together in a musical conversation of remarkable warmth, subtlety, and emotional depth.

The flowing resonance of Cissoko’s kora meets the expressive voice of Tabassian’s setar, carried by Graham’s finely textured percussion. Melodies intertwine, rhythms gather and recede, and the music moves between composition and improvisation as the three artists respond to one another in the moment.

Named for the place where fresh water meets the sea, Estuary reflects the possibilities that emerge when distinct musical currents meet. Persian and Mandinka traditions retain their own character while revealing new points of connection through the musicians’ extraordinary rapport, shared experience, and creative freedom.

The result is music filled with poetry, colour, rhythmic vitality, and humanity. Estuary invites you to slow down, listen deeply, and experience this remarkable artistic collaboration live. 

“(…) a rare delight: music unlike anything heard before.” – Le Monde 

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Experience the Music

At the centre of Estuary are the kora and the setar, two string instruments with distinct musical histories, expressive qualities, and approaches to melody and improvisation.

The kora is a 21-string West African harp-lute closely associated with the hereditary musical and oral traditions of Mandinka griots. Across its 21 strings, Ablaye Cissoko creates flowing melodic lines, resonant patterns, and interlocking layers of rhythm and harmony. 

The setar is a long-necked Persian lute with a delicate, highly expressive sound. In Kiya Tabassian’s hands, ornamentation, melodic variation, and improvisation allow a musical idea to expand, change direction, and respond closely to the other performers.

Patrick Graham’s percussion adds another voice to the conversation, introducing colour, momentum, silence, and precisely judged rhythmic detail.

Listen for the way musical ideas travel among the performers. A phrase may begin on the kora, be answered by the setar, and take on a different character through the percussion. Rhythms breathe rather than rush. Melodies return in altered forms, and moments of silence create space for the next gesture to emerge.

Musicians draw from distinct traditions. Through attentive listening and years of collaboration, they discover connections while allowing each instrument and artistic voice to remain recognizable.

Every performance develops through that exchange. The more closely you listen, the more clearly you can hear the conversation taking shape.

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Artist Bios

Kiya Tabassian

Born in Iran and based in Montreal, Kiya Tabassian is a composer, setar virtuoso, and the founder and artistic director of Constantinople. His work brings Persian music into conversation with artists and traditions from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, creating projects rooted in deep listening, artistic exchange, improvisation, and discovery.

Ablaye Cissoko

Ablaye Cissoko is a Senegalese kora master and vocalist born into a respected griot family in Kolda, Senegal. Based in Saint-Louis, he carries Mandinka musical and storytelling traditions into contemporary creation and has performed extensively across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. His collaborators have included Randy Weston, François Jeanneau, Majid Bekkas, Richard Galliano, Beñat Achiary, and La Chimera.

Patrick Graham

Patrick Graham is a Montreal-based percussionist, improviser, composer, and educator. His work draws from contemporary percussion, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern frame drumming, South Indian rhythm, and Japanese taiko. He has recorded and performed across chamber music, jazz, dance, theatre, and soundtrack projects, and is a longtime collaborator with Constantinople.

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Presented by Small World Music 

 

 

The 2026 Small World Music Series is sponsored by TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment and funded by the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council.

                                             

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Venue Details

Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church
427 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON

Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church is a downtown Toronto venue located near Bloor and Spadina.

The venue is easily accessible by TTC. The nearest subway station is Spadina Station, located just north of the intersection of Spadina and Bloor. For accessible subway access, use the Spadina Street exit, then head south to Bloor Street and west toward Robert Street.

The main floor, including the Sanctuary / Jeanne Lamon Hall and washrooms, is wheelchair accessible. Service animals are welcome, and special seating is available in the Sanctuary for guests arriving with a service animal or personal support worker.

Paid parking, including accessible parking, is available nearby at the Green P lot on Robert Street, across from the venue.

For accessibility information or accommodation requests, please email boxoffice@smallworldmusic.com or call 416-536-5439.