About

BALSIKA, the Balkan-Alsatian orchestra, was conceived during meetings
between Alsace and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Strasbourg and Tuzla. Later
during journeys on the bumpy Balkan roads criss-crossing from
Sarajevo to Stolac, from Ugljevik to Sjenica, from Banja Luka to the
IPAK of Križevići, towards the peaks of Montenegro, the trumpets of
Guča, the Isle of Krk….  The idea that our two regions, Alsace and
the Balkans, turning on the carousel of European history, are rich in
common roots inherited from our tortured histories.
Thus the idea came to us of creating a Balkan-Alsatian orchestra,
embracing young people of our two lands with their colourful pasts,
and concentrating on traditional music.
Without this flood of music, which flows throughout Europe, following
the paths of travellers and migrations, and without all those who,
despite wars and uprisings, setting aside their superficial
differences, strove together to achieve their common goals, this
orchestra would not have come into existence. Thank you to all those
who believed in us.
“Hadje!” Join us under the flowering apple trees of Alsace, watch the
snow fall on blossom, we will go boating on Lake Modrac and lose
ourselves in the souks of Bascarsija. And when the spirit takes us,
when we feel the walls are closing in on us, let us take to the road
…..  on a blue bicycle or in a train to Sweden, Greece or ….