Garden of Silence
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Garden of Silence - reunites nine musicians from three continents in a creative dialog that goes far beyond music. A bridge between traditions, drawing its strength from the abundance of diversity and a vibrant commitment to human understanding.
“Music that will make you want to acoustically rediscover the world.”
Order CD - the long awaited album "Neither You Nor I" - only available on CD!! Full release on all platforms 17th October 2025
It all started with a dream. In 2009 the exceptional harpist, composer and singer Asita Hamidi woke up with the irresistible sound of an indescribable ensemble in her ears. Together with Björn Meyer they set out to bring this sonic vision to life.
It soon became obvious that the sound was more about bringing the unique voices of specific musicians together than the actual instrumentation.
For several years, Asita and Björn traveled regularly to Iran, Egypt, and Sweden, meeting with master musicians to create a unique sound and a special kind of music that blended influences from such diverse cultural backgrounds. A truly distinctive sonic experience, brought to life by extraordinary voices and instruments like the bass mandola, violin, cello, percussion, Armenian duduk, and Swedish nyckelharpa.
This continuous exchange also resulted in deep personal friendships, which are as much a part of the repertoire as is the composed material. Music as a universal language, an unforgettable listening experience - intense and dynamic.
Garden of Silence was to become Asita’s last project. Just before the planned premiere she left this world in 2012. Since then, Björn has continued to evolve the music, adding new influences to the repertoire. In December 2022 — ten years after the original date — the complete work was finally premiered at three concerts in Switzerland. A new beginning, allowing this remarkable music to be heard in its unique instrumentation.
The premiere received extraordinary acclaim, leading to a follow-up tour in Switzerland in February 2024, during which the repertoire was also recorded. The album "Neither You Nor I" is set for release in October 2025.
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Performed by (bios below)
Björn Meyer (SE,CH) Artistic director, Bass, Bass-Mandola
Emilia Amper (SE) Nyckelharpa
Karin Streule (CH) Vocal
Veronika Stalder (CH) Vocal
Reza Asgarzadeh (IR) Duduk
Kaspar Rast (CH) Drums,Percussion
Carlo Niederhauser (CH) Cello
Klaus Gesing (DE) Bassclarinet, Sopranosaxophone
Mohammed Sami (EG) Violin
About the Musicians
Björn Meyer (Se/CH) - Artistic director, Bass & Bass-Mandola
Surrounded by music from an early age, it wasn’t until a chance encounter with an electric bass, just before turning eighteen, that he realised that music would become his profession.
Driven by the urge to express specific musical and sonic visions, he is constantly refining his approach to the bass, as well as redefining its musical role.
Working as a soloist, alongside world-renowned artists or as a bandleader, Björn always finds ways to support and surprise the surrounding - listeners and fellow musicians alike.
Emilia Amper – Nyckelharpa (Se)
Since many years one of the most in demand folk musicians in Sweden. Be it as a as soloist, composer, initiator, singer or musician: her charismatic virtuosity and energetic performances makes her an extremely active collaborator with many uniquely creative, world-wide collaborations freely crossing the borders between chamber- ,folk-, classical- and world-music.
Constantly in search for new ways of expanding the traditions of her instrument she has won many prestigious awards and titles including the world champion of Nyckelharpa.
Reza Asgarzadeh – Duduk (Iran)
Engaged in music since the age of five, Reza has developed a uniquely lyrical , versatile and profound voice on the Duduk - his favourite instrument since youth. His musicality and thoughtful attention to detail naturally enhances every collaboration he enters.
A true master of many trades, he is also well known as a sound-engineer responsible for many extraordinary releases by the Iranian label Hermes Records, and as a singer with the Iranian French Nour Ensemble - where he also played percussion - and in the Teheran symphonic choir. He also teaches recorder and the Duduk.
Carlo Niederhauser – Cello (CH)
Free from norms and stylistic boundaries, his playing is strongly influenced by many years spent in close collaborations with musicians from the most diverse musical worlds.
Carlo is an integral part of the Swiss music scene constantly integrating his instrument in new, highly creative and unexpected contexts. With great curiosity he explores electronic music, film music, minimal jazz, classical music, folklore, tango, free music — his interest lies in music in its most diverse forms of artistic expressions.
Veronika Stalder - Vocal (CH)
Veronika was singing before she could speak, started playing the violin with 6 and wrote her first compositions with 15 years of age. She studied jazz singing and pedagogy at the Lucerne University of Arts and vocal technique at the renowned Complete Vocal Institute in Copenhagen.
Since graduating Luzerne in 2008 she has worked as a musician, intensely involved in many prominent Swiss and international projects, often spanning wide varieties of traditions and styles. From Irish folk music to Armenian songs: Veronika has the fascinating ability to immerse fully in the music - she even won the prestigious Tsovit Tsov competition for the best interpretation of an Armenian song - and at the same time add her strictly personal voice.
Klaus Gesing - Bassclarinet, Sopranosaxophone (DE)
Musician, composer, arranger, and teacher. His passion for finding creative solutions to combine improvisation and composition has made him a well-known wanderer and collaborator across genres, traditions, and musical expressions.
His projects range from solo performances and small group settings to arranging his original compositions for Big Band. This wide scope is unified by his personal focus on melodies and strong lyrics paired with rhythmic complexity.
Mohammed Sami - Violin (Egypt)
A graduate of the Higher Institute of Arabic Music in Cairo and a founding member of several contemporary Egyptian formations, including Al-Dor Al-Awal and Sharkiyat. Sami has also collaborated with many national and international artists - such as Fathi Salama - and composed music for several musical projects, solo performances and theater productions.
After several years studying oriental Egyptian music with the legendary Egyptian violin player Abdo Dagher, Sami has developed a very personal style, combining influences from Arabic, contemporary and classical music.
Karin Streule - Vocals (CH)
A hugely versatile singer and vocal coach. From Jodle to Jazz, from free improvisations to complex arrangements, from small, local settings to large multicultural ensembles: she will always find ways to integrate her voice in the music at hand still being herself.
Passionate about natural remedies, it is equally likely to encounter Karin performing on stage as it is to find her gathering medicinal herbs on a nearby mountain slope.
Kaspar Rast - Drums & Percussion (CH)
Drummer from the age of six, known for his uncanny ability to make even the most complex grooves sound simple, accessible and even danceable. His ongoing work with Swiss pianist-composer Nik Bärtsch and the Ritual-Groove collective Ronin is just one of many examples of his uniquely individual style.
A true master of dynamic rhythms and sounds - he spent many years on the sound-development team for the cymbal manufacturer PAISTE - has made him one of Switzerlands most sought after drummers.