Music of the Old World
people
(some of the instruments are linked to descriptions) (The people, however, are not)
Paul AMIEL - Kaval, Simple Flute, Ney, Accordion, Button Box, Gothic Harp, Bendir, Ocarina, etc. Voice
Anton SHEKERJIEV - Bouzouki, Guitar, Dombra, Gaida (bagpipes), etc.Voice
Previous and perhaps future members? We can't control time
Kelsey SHEA - Violin, Voice
Aras EREKUL - Percussion
Eric SCHOON - Viola, Guitar, Tupan, Voice
A little history -
KYKLO began in 2014 as an exploration of the music and dance of the Mediterranean for the U of A's Anthropology Department's 100 year anniversary celebration. Led by Paul Amiel and Danielle van Dobben, the group was an outgrowth of two earlier ensembles:
- ZAMBUKA (a Middle Eastern ensemble supporting the incredible dancing of Danielle van Dobben (Schoon): Paul Amiel, Bruce Stanley, Robert Villa, Esen Salcin, Ashley Dacey, Angela Seidler, Hikmet Kocamer, Deniz Tat ; and
- BALKAN SPIRIT (Anton Shekerjiev's Bulgarian-Gypsy-world music ensemble, with Jeffrey Holsen).
The group that played for the Anthropology centennial performance consisted of Paul, Bruce Stanley, Anton, Eric Schoon (viola, voice, and tupan), with Danielle dancing and Angela Seidler on vocals.
Meanwhile, Paul was the Musical Director of the Rogue Theatre, and brought in Anton and Eric Schoon for a few productions (A Winter's Tale, Mistake of the Goddess, Metamorphosis). They rather enjoyed playing together.
Eventually these three would form Kyklo.
KYKLO (pronounced KEE-KLO) means "Circle," "cycle," "orb," "ring" in Greek (as in Bicycle, Cyclopes, Cyclades). We also use it to refer to the Bulgarian, Greek, and Turkish word "кукла" "kukla" and "κούκλα" which means a puppet or a doll (for those of a certain age, think Kukla, Fran, and Ollie), and in Greek it is used to refer to a pretty woman. I don't know where I'm going with this.
At some point, as could be expected in all romances, the violist ran off with the dancer: Eric and Danielle married and relocated to Ohio where they are happy parents and bold academics. Anton and Paul then performed as a duo but the lack of bowed strings led them to Kelsey Shea, a very gifted violinist (but unfortunately for only Kyklo audiences and us, a doctor-to-be), so Kyklo as a re-trio came together in the autumn of 2015. In the fall of 2017, Aras Erekul joined the group, adding a percussive energy, much-needed whistles, and a logical practicality unknown to the three Pisces in the group. It seemed like they never stopped playing, pausing only to fly off to Europe in the summer for expensive exposure, experience, and insturment collecting. In 2018 Kelsey left for her residency in Los Angeles, :-( , and since then Anton and Paul perform as an incredible, magical, and at times ridiculous duo.