Xàcara
Ensemble
When historical instruments unfold reimagined soundscapes
Camille Aubry
recorders
Isabella Leitherer
violin
Owen McCready
violone
Nóra Szabó
harpsichord, organetto
Nelson Briceño
Percussions, drums
ABOUT US
Ensemble Xàcara was founded in 2023 during the Spiegelungen
Festival, a collaborative project of the Early Music and Jazz departments of the Basel Academy of Music. Graduates of both institutes came together with the aim of bringing their different musical background closer to one another.
With exploring their unique sound combination, they aim to develop a shared foundation for ensemble playing, improvisation and new compositions.
Since their establishment, Xàcara regularly performs in Switzerland
and abroad. They participated in the prestigious Coudenberg SoundBoxFest Next Generation program, where they were honoured to be among the finalists of their competition.
The ensemble performs in various spaces, from medieval churches to
jazz clubs and concert halls, sharing their musical journey with a wide audience.
„ ...die Spielfreude und rhythmische Prägnanz der Instrumentalisten war einfach ansteckend.
Die Grenzen zwischen alter und neuer Musik waren oft fließend.
Das Ensemble versteht sich auch glänzend aufs Improvisieren in unterschiedlichen Klangsprachen, was den Stücken zusätzlich eine mitreißende Lebendigkeit und Unmittelbarkeit verlieh.
(...) Das Ensemble widmete sich dieser gelungenen Jazz-Fusion mit so viel Einfühlung, Klangfarbigkeit und impulsiver Spielfreudigkeit, dass die Zuhörer hellauf begeistert waren.”
- Badische Zeitung, September 2025.
PROGRAMS
Iberian Mood
Iberian Mood is a colorful journey through the sound world of Spain,
weaving together Spanish compositions from the medieval period to the present day.
Rather than following a strictly chronological path, Iberian Mood brings
different eras into conversation. Medieval melodies meet jazz standards, early dance rhythms resonate alongside contemporary harmonies, and baroque traditions are reframed through improvisation and new textures.
The result is a vibrant, dynamic program that celebrates Spain as a living
musical landscape - rich, diverse, and full of contrasts.
The program is exclusively arranged by the musicians of ensemble Xàcara,
and it includes includes music by Carvajal, Sebastián Durón, Chick Corea,
Mongo Santamaria, John Coltrane and... Anonymous.
Common Ground
Common Ground explores the meeting point of early music with other genres, such as jazz and contemporary music, through a modern lens.
Bringing together musicians from five countries and diverse musical backgrounds, the ensemble creates a shared musical language where medieval songs, jazz standards, improvisation, folk melodies and new compositions coexist naturally.
The concert is centered around the idea of colliding musical worlds, genres, and countries. These encounters are never violent or forced.
Instead, the focus is on blending ideas and creating new soundscapes, that
allow for the development of mutual understanding of each other - and ourselves - through music.
The ensemble invites the audience to join this musical journey and experience how different traditions can connect and grow together.
Listeners can hear new music written by the ensemble, as well as various folk melodies, and new perspectives on tunes by Horace Silver, Charlie Haden, José Marin and Josquin des Prés.
KinderKonzert - "Miau, Maestro! Die Katze und die Verlorene Musik"
This performance is an interactive musical-theatrical fairy tale that offers children from age 4 - together with their parents - a playful introduction to early music in a newly interpreted form: with jazz influences.
The story follows the adventures of a cat who discovers a large magic book filled with forgotten spells. In this fantastical world, music has disappeared a long time ago.
With the help of the cat - and through the active participation of the children - each released spell gradually brings the music back to life, reviving instruments, musical styles, and works from different historical periods.
The tale concludes with a collective improvisation, in which the children conduct the musicians using simple gestures linked to the magical formulas.
The repertoire includes Medieval songs, Renaissance dances, and baroque improvisational forms such as the passacaglia, chaconne, and passamezzo. These are complemented by the ensemble’s original arrangements, which blend early music with jazz and traditional music.
 Iberian Mood - Before |  Iberian Mood |  Iberian Mood |
|---|---|---|
 On our way |  Iberian Mood - After ;) |  Recording in progress? |
 Recording in progress |  Recording in progress |  Recording in progress... |
 Drums! |  Hide and Seek |  Rehearsal |
 Xàcara! |