Conversation, music, and joy arise from encounters. At Ballhaus Naunynstraße, they come together for the first time: The String Archestra and singers Gonza & Bona Ngoumou, co-founders of the band 3Women. Here, strings meet kora, chamber music meets vocals, and all come together in a unique sound. The musicians performing this evening have been pursuing similar goals for years: dissolving boundaries that prevent us from perceiving, enjoying, and connecting.

The String Archestra was founded in 2016 by Dr. Daniele G. Daude to perform works by Black, Indigenous, and PoC composers. In 2021, they were honored with the TONALi Award at the Elbphilharmonie for their work. Today, The String Archestra performs new songs by Gonza and Bona Ngoumou, arranged for strings. Composers and singers Bona and Gonza Ngoumou see music as a medium for storytelling and coming together: “Unsere Musik erzählt von gelebten Erfahrungen. In einer Welt voller Abgrenzungen möchten wir sonore wie reale Begegnungen schaffen.“ (“Our music tells of lived experiences. In a world full of separation, we want to create encounters – both sonorous and real.”)

3Women have already been part of two major festivals at Ballhaus Naunynstraße – the International Performance Festival Permanente Beunruhigung (2017) and the Black Berlin Black – United Polyphonic Festival (2024) – where they found an enthusiastic audience. Now, on the occasion of the seventh edition of Black Berlin Black under the motto Festivity, Gonza and Bona Ngoumou are joining forces with The String Archestra.