KITKA Women's Vocal Ensemble: Wintersongs Holiday Concert December 15, 2006

"A refreshing spin on traditional seasonal choral music... A thoroughly marvelous concert!" - National Public Radio

KITKA's Wintersongs features material ranging from rousing Slavic folk carols and lush, meditative Eastern Orthodox sacred choral works to pre-Christian incantations for the longest nights of the year and Hebrew folk songs for Chanukah. Highlights include "Tec Peleite Zernju Zogtu", an ancient Latgalian Winter Solstice song invoking the Goddess of the Sun; "Koledni Pesni", a medley of Bulgarian folk carols recalling the nativity; "Tsomo Lekho Nafshi" a poignant Hasidic Jewish spiritual melody from Lithuania, and the sublime 12-century Georgian hymn to the Virgin "Shen Khar Venakhi."

KITKA engages in a unique repertoire development process. Each member of the ensemble works closely with native master folk singers and ethnomusicologists, listens to rare archival recordings of traditional Balkan, Baltic, Caucasian, and Slavic singers and choral ensembles, or traces the seasonal musical legacies of her own ethnic heritage. As a result, KITKA has uncovered, researched, and arranged a treasure-trove of historical seasonal folk music rarely heard by American audiences.

KITKA, which means "bouquet" in Bulgarian and Macedonian, began as a grassroots group of singers from diverse ethnic and musical backgrounds who shared a passion for the stunning dissonances, asymmetric rhythms, intricate ornamentation, and resonant strength of traditional Eastern European women's vocal music. Since its informal beginnings, the group has evolved into an internationally-recognized professional ensemble known for its artistry, versatility, and mastery of the demanding techniques of Balkan and Slavic vocal styling. Through a busy itinerary of live and broadcast performances, recording, educational programs, master artist residencies, commissioning programs, and adventuresome collaborations, KITKA has exposed millions to the haunting beauty of their unique repertoire.

http://www.noevalleymusicseries.com

About KITKA Women's Vocal Ensemble:
'KITKA has gained an international reputation for bringing a contemporary perspective to the sumptuous harmonies, striking dissonances, and angular rhythms of traditional Eastern European music. The ravishing textures of their voices singing in haunting cadences and unfamiliar languages make KITKA's performances enthralling.' -SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS

$22 (advance) / $25 (door).
http://www.brownpapertickets.com

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