PROJECTS
Música Iberíca
Murat Coşkun, Orientale Perkussion
Marco Ambrosini, Schlüsselfiedel
Jan Krigovský, Violone
Rafael Catalá, Gitarren, Bearbeitungen.
The works of S. de Murcia, F. Guerau, D. Ortiz, G. Sanz, A. Piccinini, J.H. Kapsberger and also R. Catalá.
Marco Ambrosini, Nickelharpa
Europe's leading and "re-founder" of the nyckelharpa, Marco Ambrosini has been performing with Murat Coşkun for many years and works as a composer, soloist, and member of various ensembles for early music, baroque music, and contemporary music.
Concerts and tours have taken him to more than 25 countries. His discography comprises more than 150 CDs
Murat Coşkun, Orientale Perkussion
Coşkun studied Oriental Studies and Ethnomusicology. The internationally acclaimed percussionist bridges the musical worlds of East and West.
His concerts have taken him to Western and Eastern Europe, Mongolia, the USA, and the Far and Middle East. As a solo percussionist, he has performed with orchestras including the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and the NDR Radio Philharmonic.
Numerous CD, TV, and radio recordings.
Rafael Catalá, Gitarren (Klassik, Flamenco)
Rafael Catalá, an internationally renowned guitarist, composer, and boundary-crosser, joined the two musicians several years ago. Concerts in many European countries, Japan, the Middle East, Mexico, and the USA.
He has performed as a duo with mezzo-soprano Teresa Berganza and baritone Carlos Álvarez.
Award-winning CD recordings, including for labels such as Sony Classical.
Jan Krigovský, Violone
One of the leading double bass and violone players in Slovakia. He is member of Ars Antiqua Austria, Capella Gabetta, Wiener Akademie, La Cetra Basel, La Reial Orquestra de Catalunya and many others.
He has worked with renowned conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Serge Baudo, Jordi Savall, René Jacobs. Jan Krigovský is a professor at the MUK in Vienna, at the Bratislava Conservatory and teaches at other universities. Numerous CD releases.
The works of S. de Murcia, F. Guerau, D. Ortiz, G. Sanz, A. Piccinini, J.H. Kapsberger and also
R. Catalá become musical bridges to the magical beyond through the interpretations of these artists.
The world of early to late baroque and flamenco emerges here in another dimension:
Murat Coşkun's incredible variety of frame drums and other percussion instruments originating from the Orient, sometimes garnished with overtone singing; the mysterious sound of Marco Ambrosini's keyed fiddle, like a magic call from times past; Jan Krigovský's 400-year-old violone, caressing like a deeply touching breeze; and Rafael Catalá's guitar, nestled between flamenco sounds and Mediterranean chants. With these four top-class musicians, celebrated throughout Europe, the shores of the Mediterranean stretch out, showing its most diverse faces: Iberian, Oriental, Adriatic....
Alluring, captivating, irresistible.
Kleine Zeitung, March 11, 2025
Meerschein Concerts/Styriarte
A sophisticated mix for the finale
"Even as a trio, Catalá, Ambrosini, and Coskun effortlessly captivated the audience with their sophisticated blend of East-West Mediterranean music
Kronen Zeitung, March 11, 2025
Minoritensaal Graz: Música Ibérica at the Meerschein Concerts
From one sea to another
"What? A Swedish nyckelharpa playing Spanish Baroque music? Curb your outrage: The trio Música Ibérica knows what it's doing. Gallardas, fandangos, and folias, originally written for solo guitar in Iberia, are transformed by the group into little sonic gems in their arrangements: Rafael Catalá's winding guitar runs blend seamlessly with the raspy nyckelharpa." String notes by Marco Ambrosini on the aforementioned nyckelharpa.
Subtle yet undeniably innovative, the musicians span a musical arc from one sea to another: A Baroque recercada by Diego Ortiz is transported to Latin America via rumba, while Turkish percussionist Murat Coşkun drums in the Orient. His soundscape on the various frame drums is so densely rhythmic and richly original! The sea voyage concludes with an Italian tarantula bite.
Baroque associations
(Norbert Tischer, Pizzicato Magazin)
The Spanish guitarist Rafael Catalá combines guitar, oriental frame drums, the Swedish nyckelharpa and a baroque violone and mixes baroque lute music with elements of Spanish dances, enriched with oriental rhythms and elements of improvisation. The result is an original CD with unfamiliar sounds, freer and more idiosyncratic than what a Jordi Savall had to say on the same subject with a different and more authentic approach.
SWR Kultur Alte Musik
Neue CDs Vorgestellt von Bettina Winkler
The guitarist Rafael Catalá, the percussionist Murat Coskun, the nyckelharpa player Marco Ambrosini and the violinist Jan Krigovský - together they form the ensemble Música Ibérica. "Mare Nostrum" is the name of their first joint CD on the Christophorus label.
And here the four performers combine very different musical elements to create a fascinating sound collection: music from the 16th century with flamenco rhythms and Catalá's own motifs and melodies. 500 years of musical culture are connected as if by an umbilical cord, a successful experiment full of vitality and verve. This album also scores with mysterious sounds, played in a sparkling and exciting way by four full-blooded musicians who enjoy improvising and combining.
Dr. Bettina Winkler
NÖ Nachrichten
"The 49th Eckartsau Castle Concerts opened brilliantly with the 'Mare Nostrum' program. In the fully packed Imperial Hall (Kaisersaal) of the castle, a top-class ensemble delivered an impressive start to the concert series. The Imperial Hall was filled to the very last seat.
Guitarist Rafael Catalá presented works whose roots reach far into the past, captivating the audience with their tonal variety and expressive power.
Historical Instruments and Virtuoso Playing
Jan Krigovsky amazed the audience on the violone, a historical predecessor of the violoncello...
Another highlight was set by Marco with his virtuoso playing on the nyckelharpa. This rare stringed instrument...
Percussion and Overtone Singing as Highlights
Murat Coskun brought a wide palette of percussion instruments to life. His playing felt almost magical, complementing the ensemble in an impressive way. His overtone singing left a particularly deep impression, holding the Imperial Hall in rapt attention."
Raritäten unterm Nussbaum
"Nachdem die Zuhörerschar unter dem mächtigen Nussbaum Platz genommen hatte, begann das hochkarätige Instrumentalquartett vor dem Glockenturm zu spielen. Im iberisch geprägten Programm bildete der Wahlspanier Luigi Boccherini mit einer „música nocturna madrileña“ den verheißungsvollen Einstand. Dem Gitarristen, Komponisten und Arrangeur Rafael Catalá ist die kundig adaptierte Programmvielfalt mit Werken u.a von Santiago de Murcia, Gaspar Sanz, Diego Ortiz zu danken. Die weiteren Mitstreiter boten ein instrumentales Panoptikum: Neben Ján Krigovský auf dem sechssaitigen Violone schoss der Italiener Marco Ambrosini auf seiner Nyckelharpa den Vogel ab; Schlagwerker Murat Coskun schließlich prägte auf selbst gebauten Trommeln und mit Schellenklängen dem Geschehen einen weiteren Stempel auf".