Zaki Ensemble - 'Mic Check' Interview
Today we’re sitting down with Isabel and Ariel from Zaki! The Sydney based violin and guitar ensemble met during their studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. In forming the group they wanted to “share their love of music from different places and cultures, inspired by many trips abroad.”
Can you tell us a bit about your performance background and how you got started in the industry?
ISABEL: Both Ariel and I completed our Undergraduate and Postgraduate performance degrees at University. In my Masters degree, I developed an interest in middle eastern music styles and transcribed a lot of the music that was previously not written down.
Ariel plays classical guitar and has been involved in a range of different ensembles. During COVID, he released an album of guitar duets which reached No.2 on the ABC Classic music charts.
“Isabel has always had a strong liking for pop styles and wanted to enjoy playing music again, not just focus on getting into orchestras. The Zaki Duo explores music that they love and has an energy unlike any other ensemble.
In forming the Zaki Duo, Isabel and Ariel wanted to explore their mutual love of music from different places and cultures, and to bring to the “gigging space” something a bit different to your standard band or string group. They set out arranging pieces from around the world for guitar and violin, as well as timeless pop songs and classical pieces, resulting in a cool and quirky repertoire. ”
What has been your biggest career highlight so far, and why was it significant for you?
ARIEL: For me it was recording an album for ABC Classics. For Isabel it was being invited to lead the NSW Drs Orchestra in 2022 as Concert Master. As a newly formed group, the most satisfaction we have had is from bringing pieces that haven’t been notated before to life through transcription and listening. Isabel also really enjoyed performing for Mosman Manors in 2022 as she really felt it brought the audience a lot of joy and they appreciated the music.
How do you approach your creative process, from ideation to completion? How do you balance the creative and business sides of the performance industry?
ISABEL: We haven’t really got a written-out formula. It’s more like a fight or flight response in the moment. If we need to do things, we come up with the most logical solution to the problem. I also write down copious amounts of random lists on my phone with ideas I’ve had for years or months that I want to do/play/record/achieve and look at them when I’m feeling a bit unmotivated.
I actually find the business side of the industry a bit sickening but I tend to work on this when I am tired of the creative side. Whenever I have a spare chance I try to work on the business side.
What advice would you give to aspiring artists looking to break out? How do you stay motivated and inspired to create and develop new work?
ARIEL + ISABEL: Just try it out. Give yourself 6 months. Do some obvious things - contact, network, make content, make a website, advertise yourself etc then reassess in 6 months time and think what else needs to be done? What needs to improve? What direction do I need to go in next?
Don’t be afraid of failure, trying badly is better than not trying at all.
In terms of inspiration and motivation, listenings! Don’t stop listening to music whether that be going on YouTube, to a concert, googling ideas etc. Get outside of yourself, the world is full of more knowledge and experience than you yourself have.
Can you tell us about a collaboration or project that you’ve worked on that was particularly memorable or influential?
ISABEL: We quite enjoyed learning and transcribing some Celtic music and the specific ornamentations that were involved for a few gigs we had some months back. It was a good feeling to push ourselves to try something new. I also really enjoyed recording Perfume de Gitane with Ariel on our modern classical instruments and using scordatura with different fingerings. This was also something that was a bit out of the ordinary.
How has the Australian Arts industry changed since you first started, and what changes do you anticipate in the future?
ARIEL: The music industry has evolved quite a bit. New technologies in the digital space have changed everything from the way people consume music, to how musicians promote their art and engage with their audiences.
ISABEL: One definitely needs to be active on social media and constantly generate new content to build a following and create more opportunities. But these are positive changes - the ball is much very much in your court!
Can you talk about a project or album that you’re currently working on and what we can expect from it?
ISABEL: We're currently working on an album of Persian/Kurdish music. It's pretty exciting as none of this music has been played on just guitar and violin. In fact, much of the music was written with other instruments like the Oud and Kamenche in mind. So it's a fun creative process of finding equivalents on our instruments, and knowing how to capture the spirit of the music but to bring something new as well.
And I think it's in that tension between finding authenticity but knowing that you're speaking through a different medium, and have a totally different musical background and training that something valuable can emerge. Through the album we hope to shine a new light on this music using the unique timbres, textures and possibilities of our instruments.
Wanna hear more? Find Zaki on YouTube or get in touch to find out how to book them for your next event!