When Oud meets Saung

ဂျိုးတွေနဲ့ ရေကြည့်လို့ရနိုင်ပါတယ်။

Music can make elephants dance.

Burmese proverb

A first... worldwide ?!

Across this vast territory of the Silk Roads, there are few places where the Oud has not already made its appearance.

Myanmar may be one of them. After much research, I have never seen or heard the Saung (Burmese harp) and the Oud played together.

Setting out with my Oud in search of this symbol of the ancient tradition of Burmese music, it was finally by knocking on the doors of the University of Art and Culture in Yangon that I met the Saung player and musicologist Su Zar Zar (see "Episode 2: In Search of the Burmese Harp").

Together, we harmonized the deep, full sound of the Oud with the bright, crystalline tones of the Saung. The traditional piece we chose evokes a light and airy atmosphere, reminiscent of the Burmese people, but also contrasts with the tense political reality of this country.

I feel fortunate to have been in contact with the Burmese people and the incredibly courageous and passionate Su Zar Zar. It is an honor for me today to present the Burmese harp to the world outside of this region, in the hope of shedding light on their precious culture.

For the next episod, we'll see each other in a country so fascinating and rich in history... somewhere along the banks of the Ganges...

Bon voyage my friend! 

Iban -  “Ibantuta”