ælta, formed by flutist Renata Kambarova and double bassist Mathieu Garnavault, explores the expressive possibilities of a singular instrumental duo. At first glance, the flute and double bass may seem opposed in terms of register, timbre, and traditional roles - but under their fingers, they become a sonic playground where roles are reversed, textures are woven, and boundaries blurred.
Inspired by Beat Furrer's seminal work Ira Arca, the duo draws on the contemporary repertoire to create a shared musical language. The programme combines original works - such as Oren Boneh’s Défense de décéder and Antoine Pierre’s Crushed Corner Stone - with contrasting solos (Mario Diaz de Leon’s Luciform for flute and tape, Rebecca Saunders’ fury for double bass), revealing unexpected timbres and radical dynamics.
Between musical complicity and sonic curiosity, ælta invites us to listen differently—reinventing the possible dialogues between two instruments that once seemed irreconcilable.