Zela is currently active performing her original compositions with her band, Zela Margossian Quintet, which she founded in early 2017. Zela Margossian Quintet’s music is a fusion of folk, jazz and classical, carrying influences from traditional Armenian music.
Zela Margossian Quintet releases their debut album, Transition in November 2018. In October 2019, Transition receives an ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) for Best World Music Album category.
Performance highlights include the Quintet’s participation in the Sydney International Jazz Women’s Festival (2017,2019,2020), a tour to Beirut, Lebanon to take part in the Beirut International Jazz Day Festival (April 2018), and a couple of key performances in the SIMA (Sydney Improvised Music Association) Jazz Programs (June 2018, Aug. 2019), a debut performance for the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues (Nov. 2020), a debut performance at the Sydney Opera House (Dec. 2020) and a performance at Sydney Town Hall for Sydney Festival programme.
“Transitioning among seemingly impossible musical and rhythmic puzzles and into an effortless harmonious whole, Margossian’s strong compositional themes and organic, intuitive sense for sophisticated meters only is enhanced. Embracing her background and a shift over to jazz following classical music studies, the bandleader has carved out an entrancing and dazzlingly unique kaleidoscopic niche.” – DownBeat Magazine
Zela Margossian trained in classical music in Lebanon and Armenia, and then changed both country and music, moving to Australia are taking up jazz improvisation and composition.
