Music & Sound

Since 2022, Abastan has become a gathering place for musicians of many kinds, from classically trained instrumentalists to experimental sound artists. Sound is central to our practice, and the soundscape of Tumanyan is a constant source of inspiration: birdsong, the rush of the Debed River, shepherds’ calls, donkeys braying, jackals howling, thunder rolling through the gorge, and echoes bouncing off the surrounding rocks.

Some musicians arrive with defined projects, while others prefer spontaneity, listening to the place and following its cues, improvising together, recording sounds in nature, or experimenting with the unique acoustics of nearby medieval monasteries or abandoned industrial spaces. In the spirit of Abastan, music here is about presence, place, and collaboration. We play in the mountains, in gardens, in yards and streets, even at the landfill, in places that transform with music, and that in turn transform the music.

An ongoing strand of our work is the creation of musical objects from repurposed materials. Working with natural materials like wood and stone, as well as industrial debris and everyday items, we explore the sonic potential of the overlooked and discarded.