New European Songbook: Austria
The New European Songbook is an international creative collaboration that celebrates the new music arising from a continent in flux. Six European countries have co-produced this unique project. For Austria, pop artist and Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst collaborates with Syrian trio Basalt.

Austria: Small House
Austrian pop artist and Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst with Syrian trio Basalt
The song Small House is about losing contact with our inner selves - our lives, thoughts and identity.
Conchita Wurst is a pop recording artist and drag queen portrayed by Thomas "Tom" Neuwirth. Wurst came to international attention after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2014 as Austria's entrant with the song Rise Like a Phoenix.
Basalt is a Syrian trio formed in Austria in 2016, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Amjad Khaboura, guitarist and vocalist Noor Eli Khoury and bass player Almonther Alshoufi. They perform a mix of styles including alternative, oriental, blues and rock.

New European Songbook: Concerts at the EIF
At this year’s EIF, established UK artists like Karine Polwart and Matthew Herbert joined fellow European artists, and others recently arrived on the continent, for two nights of new music.

Both New European Songbook concerts, which took place on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 August 2017, are available to watch in full on-demand alongside individual highlights from some of the acts.
The New European Songbook
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Austria
Austrian pop artist and Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst with Syrian trio Basalt
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France
15 musicians from the Orpheus XXI artistic action project come together to make music
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Germany
Violinist Shalan Alhamwy and fellow Syrian vocalist Rasha Rizk with German pianist Benyamin Nuss
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Portugal
Portuguese Fado singer Carolina with Argentinian jazz musician Demian Cabaud
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Switzerland
Swiss pop and jazz artist Scilla Hess with Albanian composer and pianist Markelian Kapidani
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UK / Naa Densua and Karine
Ghanaian multi-genre artist Naa Densua Tordzro with Scottish singer, songwriter and composer Karine Polwart
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UK / Matthew and Arian
Prolific UK music producer and artist Matthew Herbert with Iranian fusion musician Arian Sadr
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The Concerts
Brand-new collaborations, performed for the first time at Edinburgh International Festival
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New European Songbook
Sounds from a continent in flux








