NY Malagasy Orkestra is the Orchestra of Madagascar, gathering of musicians, of strong personalities living on the Great Island for a summit meeting of Malagasy music.

It is the living testimony of the richness of the various traditions of the island, revisited by some of today’s great performers and creators within one ensemble. Ny Malagasy Orkestra positions itself in the field of the re-creation of a heritage and the composition of pieces inspired by tradition, by a new generation of musicians.

The idea to set up a large Malagasy musical ensemble was born on a train, in Sweden, during a Justin Vali tour…For centuries, musicians in societies known as traditional have reinvented, reshaped, recreated their heritage, in light of their sensibility and the necessities of the social group. Now, at a time when the social and economic circumstances are very different from the patterns of the past, the musicians still ask themselves the same question: how can they be a part of that amazing heritage while asserting their difference?

Creating an orchestra means gathering musicians, strong personalities living on the island for a summit meeting of Malagasy music. It means testifying to the richness of the various traditions of the island, revisited by some of today’s great performers and creators, within one ensemble. It means drawing more attention to traditional instruments that are still unrenowned abroad (jejo voatavo, valihas, traditional percussions, flutes, kabossy, mandolins…) and discovering other instruments that have not yet been listed among the 54 instruments already recognized by ethno-musicologists…

Cast: Talike Gelle (Voice, Dance), Gilberto Moravelo (Mandolin, Voice), Surgi Nofisoa (Violin, Voice, Percussion), Francis Fafa Rakotoson (Voice, Percussion), Jean-Donne Ramananerisoa (Violiin, Trompet, Voice, Dance), Diedonne Randriamanantena (Percussion, Voice, Dance), Justin Vali (Voice, Music Conductor), Chrysanthe Velomuoro (Guitar, Voice), Jean-Paul Zara (Kabossy, Voice)