Labyrinth Musical Workshop Ontario

Labyrinth Musical Workshop Ontario Labyrinth Ontario is a not-for-profit dedicated to promoting the study and appreciation of modal music traditions from Asia, Africa, and Europe.

08/21/2026

👏Thank you for joining us at Makam Nights last night!

Didem Başar gave us a stunning performance, with a wide range of improvisation and her own compositions. We hope to have you back in Toronto again!

➡️Don’t forget - there will be no Makam Nights next month, as we will be hosting the Toronto Makam Music Forum!

08/20/2026

Tonight: Didem Başar in Toronto!

Born into a musical family in Istanbul, Didem is a kanun (Turkish zither) player, instructor and composer. She has collaborated with many ensembles and Symphony Orchestras, performing across Canada, the U.S., Europe, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and North Africa. She has contributed to numerous albums and soundtracks, including works with Cirque du Soleil and Constantinople Ensemble, and has composed for various projects.

Didem’s albums “Levantine Rapsody” (2020) and “Continuum” (2024) have received critical acclaim, including Album of the Year award at the Prix Opus Competition for both projects.

We are humbled to have Didem visit us from Montréal for this solo performance. She is a virtuoso with extensive knowledge on Turkish & Ottoman makam music repertoire - we encourage you to join us:

Makam Nights with Didem Başar
•August 20
•Tranzac Living Room (292 Brunswick)
•8pm-9:30pm
•Pay What You Can - seating is first come first serve

🎥 Hüzzam Semâi (Modus Orientis) by Didem Başar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jMYvoCJVjg

08/19/2026

Tomorrow, we are back at Tranzac Club for our August edition of Makam Nights.

Featuring a different artist each month, this residency provides a space for makam music performances, open improvisations, and dialogue.

It has been a wonderful community-focused and accessible stream of programming, and we are delighted to bring such a wide range of knowledge and skill to Toronto!

This month, we welcome Didem Başar from Montréal for a solo performance. She brings extensive knowledge on Turkish & Ottoman makam music repertoire - we encourage you to join us:

Makam Nights with Didem Başar
•August 20
•Tranzac Living Room (292 Brunswick)
•8pm-9:30pm
•Pay What You Can - seating is first come first serve

🎥 at March Makam Nights

08/17/2026

This week: Didem Başar at Makam Nights!

Kanun virtuoso and critically acclaimed composter Didem Başar comes to Labyrinth Ontario's monthly residency at for a solo show!

This piece "Devr-i Raksan" is composed by Başar and is inspired by the "twirling of a dancer", which is the translation of the title.

⭐Don't in Toronto this Thursday:

Makam Nights with Didem Başar
•August 20
•Tranzac Living Room (292 Brunswick)
•8pm-9:30pm
•Pay What You Can - seating is first come first serve

🎬Recorded in Montréal, August 2024 at the Centre des musiciens du monde.
Percussion and audio/visual by Patrick Graham.

08/13/2026

🗓One week away: Didem Başar at Makam Nights!

Kanun virtuoso Didem Başar joins us from Montréal for a special solo performance. In addition to her playing, Baśar is a critically acclaimed composer and arranger.

This piece "Current Yesterday" is from her album "Continuum", which received the Album of the Year award at the Prix Opus Competition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjIZ6LHZOq4

⭐Don't miss her upcoming performance in Toronto:

Makam Nights with Didem Başar
•August 20
•Tranzac Living Room (292 Brunswick)
•8pm-9:30pm
•Pay What You Can - seating is first come first serve

At the Western and World Symposium in 2024, Kelly Thoma led a music group workshop with an eager selection of participan...
08/12/2026

At the Western and World Symposium in 2024, Kelly Thoma led a music group workshop with an eager selection of participants who learned by rote.

We were so pleased with the outcome of this workshop, and are excited to offer an advanced version at the upcoming Toronto Makam Music Forum! Led by Sami Abu Shumays , this workshop will focus on legendary Egyptian vocalist Umm Kulthum’s repertoire. There will also be a general Makam Workshop for all levels of experience.

Register now: bit.ly/TMMF26

📸 Kevin Jones Kevin Jones

08/11/2026

Are you interested in learning more about Makam and don't know where to start? Join us next month for this FREE general workshop led by Sami Abu Shumays at the Toronto Makam Music Forum:

Non-musicians, beginner musicians, and experienced practitioners will all benefit from the insights and pragmatic approach Sami offers.

🎻Makam Workshop
🗓️September 15, 16
⏰4 PM - 6 PM
📍East End Arts East End Arts
💵FREE
🔗Register at https://forms.gle/xDx1fZxxyUxKGLqu9

🎻Music Group with Sami Abu Shumays🗓️September 15, 16, 17, 18, 19⏰11:30 AM - 2:30 PM📍East End Arts East End Arts💵FREE🔗Reg...
08/07/2026

🎻Music Group with Sami Abu Shumays
🗓️September 15, 16, 17, 18, 19
⏰11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
📍East End Arts East End Arts
💵FREE
🔗Register at https://forms.gle/PxcMzAnjceN8T5Br7

This workshop will learn to perform two full pieces by the legendary Egyptian vocalist Umm Kulthum: Awidti Eini + Ansak.

Participants should come to the workshop already having listened to the songs, and already begun to learn them on their own; the meetings will be more like rehearsals than teaching sessions; it will be more about learning the performance practice of the songs than learning the songs. No sheet music will be used - or permitted - in the workshop.

Participants must:
•Be instrumentalists
•Have proficiency on their instruments
•Have some experience in a maqam or maqam-adjacent tradition
•Be able to learn music by ear, and have experience memorizing repertory in this way, in whatever tradition they practice

Participants who attend all rehearsals are invited to perform at the Toronto Makam Music Forum on the evening of September 19 at East End United Church. A small honorarium will be provided.

➡️ This workshop is part of the inaugural Toronto Makam Music Forum, which celebrates the growing importance of Makam and explores Makam as a living, evolving practice.

From September 17-19 the Forum will host three conversation circles each night facilitated by pillars of the music community. Headlining performances will follow, all taking place at East End United Church. More details to come!

🤎TMMF is supported by Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts and Canada Arts Presentation Fund - Department of Canadian Heritage.🤎

🎻Makam Workshop with Sami Abu Shumays 🗓️September 15, 16⏰4 PM - 6 pm📍East End Arts East End Arts 💵FREE🔗Register at https...
08/07/2026

🎻Makam Workshop with Sami Abu Shumays
🗓️September 15, 16
⏰4 PM - 6 pm
📍East End Arts East End Arts
💵FREE
🔗Register at https://forms.gle/PxcMzAnjceN8T5Br7

Learn Arabic Music from master musician and educator Sami Abu Shumays, co-author of the acclaimed book Inside Arabic Music and creator of the YouTube series “Maqam Lessons.” The group call-and-response singing format of these classes creates a non-judgmental environment that makes learning enjoyable. Non-musicians, beginner musicians, and experienced practitioners will all benefit from the insights and pragmatic approach Sami offers.

Each Maqam tells a particular story, and together we will explore this melodic practice in improvisation and composed songs, through collective singing and listening to repertory.

Open to all, no matter their musical experience. Total beginners to experts.

➡️ This workshop is part of the inaugural Toronto Makam Music Forum, which celebrates the growing importance of Makam and explores Makam as a living, evolving practice.

From September 17-19 the Forum will host three conversation circles each night facilitated by pillars of the music community. Headlining performances will follow, all taking place at East End United Church. More details to come!

🤎TMMF is supported by Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts and Canada Arts Presentation Fund - Department of Canadian Heritage.🤎

🌇Coming to Makam Nights this month: Didem Başar, born into a musical family in Istanbul, is a kanun (Turkish zither) pla...
08/04/2026

🌇Coming to Makam Nights this month:

Didem Başar, born into a musical family in Istanbul, is a kanun (Turkish zither) player, instructor and composer. She completed her music education in the kanun program and composition at Istanbul Turkish Music State Conservatory, where she later taught Turkish music and kanun techniques until moving to Canada in 2007.

Didem has collaborated with many ensembles and Symphony Orchestras, performing across Canada, the U.S., Europe, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and North Africa. She has contributed to numerous albums and soundtracks, including works with Cirque du Soleil and Constantinople Ensemble, and has composed for various projects.

In 2020, she released her album Levantine Rapsody which blends Turkish and Western classical music. The album received critical acclaim and was nominated for Album of the Year by ADISQ and the Conseil Quebecois de la Music. It won the Album of the Year award at the 24th Prix Opus Competition in 2021. Her latest album, Continuum, released in June 2024, has been honoured with two Opus Awards for Best Album and Best Concert of the Year in the World Music category. This project recorded with I Musici de Montréal was conducted by Jean-François Rivest in Montréal. It is considered as the continuation of her first album.

🌙We are looking forward to welcoming her in Toronto for an intimate solo show!

•August 20
•Tranzac Living Room (292 Brunswick)
•8pm-9:30pm
•Pay What You Can - seating is first come first serve
Makam Nights with Didem Başar

📸 by Yagup Allahverdiyev

Address

292 Brunswick Ave.
Toronto, ON
M5S 2M7

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Labyrinth Musical Workshop Ontario posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Labyrinth Musical Workshop Ontario:

Shortcuts

Share

Category