In 2003, violinist Richard Schmoucler embarked on the challenge of forming an ensemble that bridged classical academic approach with traditional Eastern European music. He joined forces with five musician friends from the Orchestre de Paris, the Orchestre National de France and the Orchestre de l’Opéra de Paris, along with a pianist, a cymbalist, and arranger Cyrille Lehn to establish the Sirba Octet. The ensemble performs extensively in France and internationally at renowned festivals and venues such as the Philharmonie de Paris, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, the Théâtre de la Ville, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Yekaterinburg Philharmonic, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Tokyo City Concert Hall, and in Paris at L’Européen, La Cigale, and L’Espace Pierre Cardin. Sirba Ocet’s performances are characterised by virtuosity and depth of emotion rooted in familiar melodies echoing human migrations. They also showcase an extraordinary colour, richness, and inventiveness of the ensemble’s transcriptions. The group excels outside traditional paths, skillfully blending genres to create a repertoire that combines chamber and symphonic music. The uniqueness of the Sirba Octet’s project places it in an original and unprecedented musical universe referred to by the artists as “Classic World”. In 2023, marking the band’s twentieth anniversary, they released their seventh album entitled Tsuzamen signed by Sirba Records – a label recently founded by the artists. This album inaugurates a collection of recordings exclusively available through the Sirba Octet shop and all digital streaming platforms. The musicians celebrated the ensemble’s milestone anniversary under the banner of courage, enthusiasm and creativity.
Sirba Octet
