André Manoukian

On November 5, 2026, at the Théâtre Sébastopol in Lille, André Manoukian presents a repertoire steeped in Armenian music, which he has woven into a supple modal jazz across five albums. His piano traces an intimate path, tied to his memory and heritage, and opens a constant dialogue between East and West. Around him, the phrasing of Mosin Kawa’s Indian tablas answers Gilles Coquard’s double bass, while Anissa Nehar’s cajón establishes an earthy pulse. The violins of the Orchestre Appassionato, conducted by Mathieu Herzog, envelop the ensemble, with arrangements by André Manoukian and Simon Cochard that widen the sonic palette without diminishing its restraint. Arpi Alto’s voice lays down two lullabies, like an echo of childhood songs. Under the title Ma Sultane, borrowed from a family nickname, Manoukian gathers these fragments of memory into a set that builds bridges, lets timbres circulate, and allows the lyricism to surface without overt showmanship. An evening in which writing, precise and melodic, finds room to breathe in improvisation.