Zoli Kekenj

Zoli Kekenj plays the contrabass, the deepest and largest string instrument. Whether he ‘strokes’ or ‘plucks’, he always manages to provide the ensemble with his foundation. Although he is more involved in the background, he occasionally dares spectacular solo interludes.

Few people know that Zoli is also an excellent balalaika player. The Russian plucked instrument with only 3 strings and the triangular resonance body can be used very well for Romanian folklore.

It is also largely unknown that Zoli is a talented instrument maker himself. So he recently came to take wood in Planatsch from a folded fir tree to make the cover of a new violin. Next year he even wants to take a whole table top from Planatsch to build a new bass violin.

Zoli, an emigrated Romanian, lives in Brussels and is a bass player in the Romanian ensemble, together with Marius Preda, Julian Jantea and Jon Micu. He performs every year at the DAJOERI Panflute Festival.