When Paths Meet is an ongoing project with no set end date, officially launched in Amsterdam in June 2022 with a concert as part of the Holland Festival. What exactly does it consist of?

Sami Yusuf – The project aims to express through sound how human beings meet, appreciate, and love each other. I am passionate about traditional music for its ability to translate the most subtle realities beyond words. When Paths Meet is the result of this passion. At the very beginning of its development, I asked myself: How did people traveling the Silk Road more than a thousand years ago communicate? We know that travellers discovered the cultures they encountered through music and art because music reveals aspects of the human experience without relying on words. Music is direct; it has the power to communicate without the need for translation. From my perspective, no text can rival the power of music. When Paths Meet offers the audience an experience of deep and nuanced musical languages from diverse regions such as Pakistan, Turkey, France, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and more. It is a celebration of the genius of all these living traditions, which must be considered for what they are, not for what we wish them to be. The musical dialogue that takes place during the concerts excites me. It's important to remember that this dialogue feeds into a conversation that has been going on for a very long time. Knowledge has been exchanged through art for thousands of years. When Paths Meet is thus about reworking musical traditions into a contemporary language.

How does this initiative fit into your musical exploration?

Sami Yusuf – Everything I have done in the past has been influenced by classical music in the broadest sense—not only Western classical music, but also other great musical traditions, such as from India or elsewhere. Over the past ten to fifteen years, my work has particularly centred on traditional music. I hold these traditions in the highest regard because they carry something very deep at their core, something that is beyond this world. Call it the "secret," the "divine," the "supreme"… I wouldn't say composing is easy, but when I get to work, I feel like the music flows through me, it comes naturally.
I have a very intimate, visceral relationship with traditional music—one that is difficult to put into words. Through my travels around the world, I've noticed that few traditional instruments remain today. Playing a role in preserving this music, and its instruments, seems essential to me. When Paths Meet is fully committed to this mission. I find the source of my inspiration in the vast ocean of tradition. What I do is just a small drop in this ocean.

What do the two evenings at the Philharmonie de Paris represent for you? What will the musical program consist of?

Sami Yusuf – I am deeply honoured and happy to be able to present my music at the Philharmonie de Paris, which has been a great support for this project and shares my vision. Larger in scale than the concert in Amsterdam, these two Paris concerts represent an even greater challenge in my view. They will bring together a very eclectic group of about fifty remarkable performers, including my ensemble – The Sami Yusuf International Ensemble –, the Scoring Orchestra of Paris, the vocal ensemble Les Métaboles, and five other musicians: Nicolas Mackowiak (harpsichord), Ballaké Sissoko (kora), Antoine Morinière (classical guitar), Lorraine Llorca (organ), Éléonore Fourniau (hurdy-gurdy). Such a variety of instruments, some of them rare, creates a rich palette to serve my musical vision. We will perform four recurring pieces from the project, as well as several new compositions inspired by the French musical heritage, created especially for this occasion. I don’t want to make too many promises, but I believe these concerts will be quite incredible.

What have you learned while working on the project?

Sami Yusuf – Bringing together all these instruments and musical traditions in a single concert is not easy [smiles], especially when it comes to tuning the instruments. In working on the new pieces that will be presented in Paris, I've learned a lot, especially about the organ. When Paths Meet feels like a fantastic experience, sometimes even magical. This series of concerts really excites me. I will likely continue to serve as its artistic director for some years to come, and I hope that it will continue in the future without me, living its own life, with other composers at its helm.

Interview conducted by Jérôme Provençal

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