It all started with a dream. In 2009 the exceptional harpist, composer and singer Asita Hamidi woke up with the irresistible sound of an indescribable ensemble in her ears. Together with Björn Meyer they set out to bring this sonic vision into the world.

With each attempt to describe and analyse the sound, it became increasingly obvious that it was not primarily a matter of which instruments are at play, but more a matter of specific musicians adding their unique personal voices to the blend.

For several years, Asita and Björn traveled regularly to Iran, Egypt and Sweden and met with master musicians in order to perfect the sound and develop a special kind of music that would bring together influences from the participants supposedly disparate cultural backgrounds into a unique sonic experience. Music that resonates and comes to life with extraordinary voices, bass mandola, violin, cello, percussion and traditional instruments like the Armenian duduk and the Swedish nyckelharpa.

This continuous exchange also resulted in deep personal friendships, which are as much a part of the repertoire as is the composed material. Music as a universal language, an unforgettable listening experience - intense and dynamic.

Garden of Silence was to become Asita’s last project. Just before the planned premiere in 2012 Asita left this world. A year later - as a tribute - unforgettable concerts were held in Bern and Teheran in 2013.

Since then Björn Meyer has continuously added new influences to Garden of Silence and further developed the repertoire. In December 2022, ten years after the original date, the complete work could finally be premiered at three concerts in Switzerland. A new beginning allowing this remarkable music to be heard in its unique instrumentation. The premiere met with extraordinary response and resulted in the immediate demand for a follow-up tour with four concerts in Switzerland February 2024.