Makam Baklava is a Minnesota-based Balkan band that performs 'sweet folk and art songs' from Azeri, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkiye. With a rotating cast of musicians (bass, cello, clarinet, guitar, oud, percussion, saz, violin, and vocals), Makam Baklava is on a mission to expose their fellow Minnesotans to the different instruments, rhythms, and songs of the region.
Tonight Makam Baklava is a trio consisting of:
Rada Kolarova (Vocals)
Lara Akal (Vocals)
Orhan Ucer (Turkish Saz, Guitar and vocals)
Rada Kolarova is a versatile vocalist who has trained in Bulgarian folk and classical music, most recently winning the Minneapolis songSlam this past January with a composition in Bulgarian. She started singing as soon as she could speak and hasn't stopped since. Originally from Sofia, Rada and her family moved to the Twin Cities, where she grew up surrounded by a diverse range of music. To this day, she enjoys exploring different vocal styles (as part of local folk ensembles) and processing her reality by writing songs, including for her band Rada K & The Cicadas.
Lara Akal is a soprano, musical theatre actress, pianist and character entertainer with a degree in Vocal Music from the University of Minnesota. As Publicity Chair of the Turkish American Association of Minnesota, she aims to engage both our local Turkish-American community and the wider Minnesotan community in outreach through the power of social media and cross-cultural connection, especially in an arts capacity. You can catch her as Ariel in Masquers Theatre’s production of The Little Mermaid this summer!
Orhan Ucer has been considered the Musical Ambassador of Turkiye in Minnesota and is the leader of Makam Baklava. He has been performing with the Turkish folk instrument called he saz (or baglama) and the guitar since he was a teenager. He has a deep passion for the music of the Turkish regions, sharing the music of his formative years with fellow Minnesotans.
Other Country Ensemble (OCE) features veteran musicians from the Twin Cities, performing traditional music from the northern Mediterranean region ranging from Spanish Sephardic to Greek and Turkish music, and original compositions inspired by the regions. They weave tales of the history of the music from 711 A.D on and the fusion of sounds that spread through the Mediterranean, as well as the instruments they perform.
OCE is:
Steve Clarke - bass, alto and C flutes, and soprano sax
Laurie Knutson - bass and alto clarinet
Scott Nieman - oud, bouzouki, mandocello
Michael Ziegahn - flamenco guitar, cajon, voice
Mark Black - frame drums, darbuka, and various percussion
OCE on Facebook
Makam Baklava on Facebook
Tickets are $10 in Advance / $15 at the Door. Doors open at 7pm. Online ticket sales end at 6pm.
Our full restaurant and bar service is available in the theater! Order from your seat and enjoy the show, we'll take care of the rest.
We recommend arriving early to grab a drink and find your spot; please keep in mind that we stop seating 30 minutes after the show starts. We do not do refunds or exchanges.