Constantinople (ensemble)

Constantinople is a Montreal-based early music and middle eastern music ensemble. The group was formed in 1988 by brothers Kiya Tabassian (setar) and Ziya Tabassian (tombak). The sétar and tombak are complemented by viola da gamba, renaissance cornett, and daf.

In its creations, Constantinople collaborates with prominent figures in the music industry such as Kayhan Kalhor, Ablaye Cissoko, Ghalia Benali, Françoise Atlan, Hana Blažíková, Shashank Subramanyam, and Marco Beasley.

Constantinople produces three or four new works each year and travels to collaborate with top musicians based on project requirements. These creations form the regular season presented in Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, and Toronto. Subsequently, the works are featured in performance tours across Canada and internationally. Some of these creations are also recorded. Over the years, Constantinople has developed nearly 60 creations, with 23 being recorded, and has toured in more than 290 cities across 57 countries.

Two of its most recent creations include "Traversées," featuring Ablaye Cissoko, and "Chants d'Espoir" with Kayhan Kalhor.

In 2024, the Constantinople ensemble won the 2024 JUNO Awards for the Best Classical Album of the Year (Small Ensemble) with Il Ponte di Leonardo. In 2025, they won the Classical award at the Anděl Awards for their album Pilgrimage in collaboration with Cappella Mariana.