Orkestar Zirkonium

One Show Only!

USA


A big Balkan-inspired mobile brass-and-drum band. Their repertoire includes songs from Eastern Europe’s phenomenal brass band tradition, as well as original compositions. The raucous, celebratory music that inspires them originated among the working-class factory towns and Roma (gypsy) encampments of southeastern Europe. Orkestar means “band” in several Slavic and Romance languages, and Zirkonium (the low-cost diamond substitute) is in reference to the band’s fundamental fakery; no one in the group actually hails from the Balkans. But you wouldn’t know that from their rollicking arrangements, authentic instrumentation (ever play the qarqabats?) and musicianship that would make the Roma proud!