NEBULA: KEYS TO THE CITY
29/8/2025
Doors: 19:00 // Admission: 100 DKK // 50 DKK
On August 29, the opening of Aarhus Festuge will be marked by a unique musical experiment at turkis: Nebula – Keys to the City!
Five pianists will meet for the first time in an unpredictable and fully improvised concert, where pianos, keyboards, and synthesizers form the framework for a fluid, collective unfolding. Each musician brings their own expression, intuition, and musical language to the table – and together they create a sonic conversation in real time, where nothing is planned, and anything can happen.
Through improvisation, Keys to the City becomes both an artistic approach and a commentary on themes we work with at turkis, in Nebula, and through Bellerose. Who truly holds the keys – to the music, to the city, to the community? The concert raises questions about access on multiple levels: access to creative spaces, to spontaneity, to the city's cultural opportunities – and not least, to one another. Nebula is an open, non-hierarchical format where attentive participation and mutual trust are the keys to creating something greater than the sum of its parts.
This concert becomes a space for both introspection and surprise, where the audience is invited on a sonic journey with no map – only open ears and curiosity as their compass.
Live on stage: Lea Han, Carl Zinssou, Turan Saleh, Olga Witte and Berg – and introducing the innovative Palm Mute Pedal.
The concert is presented by Bellerose and turkis.
PROGRAM
➤ Doors open: 19:00
➤ DJ (TBA): 19:00
➤ Keys to the City: 20:00
➤ Sidste act (TBA): 22:15
LEA HAN
Lea Han (b. 1997) began playing piano at age six, never intending to pursue music professionally. But after a gap year, she was admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Music and later committed to a career as a classical pianist. She has studied with Bella Zapolski, Amalie Malling and Jens Elvekjær.
Lea has received numerous awards, including first prize in Berlingske’s classical competition and the Léonie Sonning Talent Prize. Today, she is recognised for her strong technique and deep musicality.
CARL ZINSSOU
Carl Zinssou is a rising pianist and composer. He made his mark on the Danish jazz scene by winning JazzDanmark’s national jazz competition earlier this year with his band Zinssou Quartet.
A versatile musician, Carl performs with both jazz and pop artists. With a curious and exploratory approach, he draws inspiration from anything that sounds good – regardless of genre.
TURAN SALEH
Born in Iraq in 1981 and raised in Denmark, Turan Saleh has been immersed in music since childhood – starting with the darbuka and later teaching himself instruments like the bağlama, oud, keyboard, and drums.
Inspired by his father, a seasoned vocalist, Turan built a diverse musical path. In 2002, he founded Gurbetçi Kardeşler and later joined Group 2000, a popular band that played hundreds of weddings and events until 2015. After a ten-year break, the band is now making a vibrant return.
OLGA WITTE
Olga Witte holds a soloist degree in composition and is a jazz pianist, church organist and ethnomusicologist with a focus on Balinese gamelan. Her music blends experimental jazz, contemporary classical composition, and elements from Balinese music and culture.
In 2021, she released her acclaimed debut album Olga Witte Organ Trio No 1 + 2. She received the prestigious Gaffelprisen jazz award in 2023, along with multiple grants from the Danish Arts Foundation and the Danish Composers’ Society.
BERG
The lightning-fast and stylish “cat” from Aarhus has years of experience as a pianist across the Nordic music scene. Currently, he performs at major festivals with Danish artists and tours Europe with the jazz/house/hip-hop trio Clothing Club.