Kitka & Hasmik Harutyunyan in Concert: Folk Songs of Armenia & Georgia March 1, 2011

Kitka returns from their first tour to the Caucasus to present a concert showcasing traditional melodies and harmonies from Armenia and Georgia. Joining Kitka will be Armenia's most beloved folk singer, Hasmik Harutyunyan. Kitka and Hasmik Harutyunyan's program will feature material ranging from gentle lullabies, lyrical love songs, and sublime sacred pieces to rowdy dance tunes and robust work songs.

Georgia is the home to one of the world's most ancient and fascinating polyphonic (harmony) singing traditions. A Georgian folk song's parts relate to each other like a Mobius strip, with unexpected chords and richly ornamented textures that do not follow Western rules of tuning, harmony, or melody. In contrast, Armenian folk music is largely modal and monophonic, akin to the musical traditions of Armenia's Middle Eastern neighbors.

Hasmik Harutyunyan is world renowned for her work with the Shoghaken Folk Ensemble of Yerevan. Drawing inspiration from her ancestors in the province of Mush in Historic Armenia, Hasmik learned many of the songs in her repertoire from old women who had emigrated from Anatolia to eastern Armenia before or during the Armenian massacres of 1915, as well as from their descendants and old song collections. Her passionate interpretations of songs from historical villages across the Armenian plateau offer a mesmerizing glimpse of a lost world.

Kitka began in 1979 as a grassroots group of singers from diverse backgrounds who shared a passion for the dissonances, rhythms, ornamentation, and resonant strength of traditional Eastern European women's vocal music. The group has since evolved into an internationally-recognized ensemble known for its artistry, versatility, and mastery of of Balkan, Slavic and Caucasian vocal styling. Through a busy itinerary of performances, recording, educational programs, artist residencies, commissioning programs, and collaborations, Kitka has exposed millions to their unique repertoire.

Official Website: http://www.kitka.org