Münsterland Festival Part 13 | Txalaparta – Sound art from the Basque Country

Draiflessen is delighted to be collaborating with the Münsterland Festival once again and to be part of the 13th edition of the festival, which has “Spain as guest country” as its motto.

As part of meetMUSIC, we welcome the extraordinary band Oreka TX from the Basque Country. Their name means “balance” in Euskara, the Basque language: between tradition and modernity, power and delicacy, regional roots and global exchange.

The central element of their music is the txalaparta, a rare, originally traditional instrument that requires two players – a play on sound based on listening, dialogue, and improvisation. Since its founding in 1997, Oreka TX has been exploring the musical and sonic possibilities of the txalaparta and experimenting with materials such as wood, stone, bamboo, tiles, and even ice.

In addition to the two txalaparta players Martínez de San Vicente and Mikel Ugarte, the group now also includes Mixel Ducau, Iñigo Eguia, and Juan Jose Ochandorena. Oreka TX is in demand internationally—their performances have taken them to all five continents, where they thrill audiences and critics alike with their energy and the uniqueness of their instrument.

The band is known for its openness to other genres, artists, and art forms: collaborations with Phil Cunningham, Manu Dibango, Carlos Nuñez, and the Rai National Symphony Orchestra, among others, demonstrate the versatility of their musical exchanges. Dance, circus, film, and rural sports also flow into their projects.

Oreka TX combines musical innovation with cultural depth—and shares its great passion for the txalaparta and Basque culture with every performance.

Ticket sales via Münsterland Festival: https://muensterland.reservix.de/events (as soon as available)