AÏM choral collective
The AÏM choral collective is an interfaith vocal ensemble that strives to support our connection to the divine with a diverse repertoire of sacred music. It is also a platform for vocalists, composers and listeners to explore ways to relate to ancestral traditions with contemporary tools, and to bring spiritual concepts into sensory, shared experiences. AÏM's ethos is rooted in the common source of all cultures and their rhizoming, embodied expressions, integrating various vocal traditions with their related societal and spiritual functions. Anaïs Maviel's artistic direction stretches our perception of what is musically and vocally possible with expansive vocal arrangements and site-specific stage direction. Oral transmission and embodiment are core to the practice and aesthetics we cultivate. The choral repertoire involves old and new music, cross-disciplinary and ceremonial performance with a focal point on mantra, as it refers to the power of sound, word & repetition. In 2022, Maviel workshoped the first iteration of B.A. BA - Before before & After after, a sound installation and experiential choir piece involving a hundred bells and 12 performers, with the Vedic cosmology pf sound as a base. Another public workshop happened in 2023 at the Greenwood cemetery's catacombs. Communal singing is always welcome, although not explicitly prompted in AÏM's performances, so that to offer a sovereign experience to diverse audiences. Open rehearsals bridge our practice with audience members and vocalists who wish to collectively experience spiritually grounded and innovative vocal expressions.
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photo credits Dar Es Salaam Riser