Sounds of Early Spain & the Middle East
Sounds of Early Spain & the Middle East
The Sephardim (from Sepharad, the Hebrew word for Spain) were given until the last week of July of 1492 to gather themselves and “depart” from the land they had called their own for 1500 years. Left to wander throughout the Mediterranean in search of
hospitable refuge (though some drifted as far north as London, Amsterdam, Vienna, and Hamburg), the majority settled in various parts of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire welcomed this educated population that brought with them the usefulness of craft,
trade, and technological skills considered valuable to the growth of the Empire. Because of the Ottoman policy allowing their minorities almost total autonomy, the Sephardim were able to continue to identify themselves as Spanish Jews, preserving their old Castilian language (Ladino), and much of the culture of their Iberian experience.
This ensemble of musicians, comprised of singers and instrumentalists playing with a colorful mix of Western and Middle-Eastern influences on voices, ney, vielle, recorders,
oud, percussion (and more), share the love for this gorgeous repertoire as well as the delight and challenge of the art of improvisation and interpretation, making each performance a celebratory unique experience. Bringing the depth and sweetness of the songs of the Sephardim to the concert stage, this astonishing musical heritage, filled with tales of exile and courtship, family life, infectious rhythm, and haunting melodies, has been preserved for over 500 years by oral tradition, primarily by women! Telling the stories of the Sephardim, our program celebrates the beautiful, poetic Ladino repertoire, including romanzas (ballads of love, loss, and adventure), piyyutim (lyrical embellishments of prayers), and koplas (strophic festival songs)
~ Nell Snaidas | November 2024
The Sephardim (from Sepharad, the Hebrew word for Spain) were given until the last week of July of 1492 to gather themselves and “depart” from the land they had called their own for 1500 years. Left to wander throughout the Mediterranean in search of
hospitable refuge (though some drifted as far north as London, Amsterdam, Vienna, and Hamburg), the majority settled in various parts of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire welcomed this educated population that brought with them the usefulness of craft,
trade, and technological skills considered valuable to the growth of the Empire. Because of the Ottoman policy allowing their minorities almost total autonomy, the Sephardim were able to continue to identify themselves as Spanish Jews, preserving their old Castilian language (Ladino), and much of the culture of their Iberian experience.
This ensemble of musicians, comprised of singers and instrumentalists playing with a colorful mix of Western and Middle-Eastern influences on voices, ney, vielle, recorders,
oud, percussion (and more), share the love for this gorgeous repertoire as well as the delight and challenge of the art of improvisation and interpretation, making each performance a celebratory unique experience. Bringing the depth and sweetness of the songs of the Sephardim to the concert stage, this astonishing musical heritage, filled with tales of exile and courtship, family life, infectious rhythm, and haunting melodies, has been preserved for over 500 years by oral tradition, primarily by women! Telling the stories of the Sephardim, our program celebrates the beautiful, poetic Ladino repertoire, including romanzas (ballads of love, loss, and adventure), piyyutim (lyrical embellishments of prayers), and koplas (strophic festival songs)
~ Nell Snaidas | November 2024
Secular
La Comida ~ Traditional Sephardic
Una Matica de Ruda ~ Traditional Sephardic
La Rosa Enflorece ~ Traditional Sephardic
Hija Mia ~ Traditional Sephardic
Adio Querida ~ Traditional Sephardic
Hicaz Sirto ~ Traditional Turkish
Tala’al-Badru’alayna ~ Traditional Sufi
Sacred
Lecha Dodi ~ Piyyut for Shabbat evening (tune of El Rey de Francia)
El Eliyahu ~ Piyyut for Motzoei Shabbat
Rast Sirto ~ Traditional Turkish
Scalerica de Oro ~ Traditional Sephardic
Cuando el Rey Nimrod ~ Traditional Sephardic
La Comida ~ Traditional Sephardic
Una Matica de Ruda ~ Traditional Sephardic
La Rosa Enflorece ~ Traditional Sephardic
Hija Mia ~ Traditional Sephardic
Adio Querida ~ Traditional Sephardic
Hicaz Sirto ~ Traditional Turkish
Tala’al-Badru’alayna ~ Traditional Sufi
Sacred
Lecha Dodi ~ Piyyut for Shabbat evening (tune of El Rey de Francia)
El Eliyahu ~ Piyyut for Motzoei Shabbat
Rast Sirto ~ Traditional Turkish
Scalerica de Oro ~ Traditional Sephardic
Cuando el Rey Nimrod ~ Traditional Sephardic
Nell Snaidas
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Grammy-Nominated artist Nell Snaidas has been praised by the New York Times for her “beautiful soprano voice, melting passion” and “vocally ravishing” performances. Her voice has also been described as “remarkably pure with glints of rich sensuality” (Vancouver Sun); and she has been called “a model of luminous timbre and emotional intensity” (Cleveland Plain Dealer).
American-Uruguayan soprano Nell Snaidas began her career singing leading roles in zarzuelas at New York City's Repertorio Español. Soon after she was heard singing the role of “Christine” in The Phantom of the Opera throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Other Broadway credits include beating featured in the Actors’ Fund’s production of HAIR (and the Grammy Nominated cast album), singing for the movie-soundtrack of The Producers with Mel Brooks in the booth and participating in the all-star reading of Young Frankenstein directed by Susan Stroman and Mel Brooks. Thanks to mentors Paul C. Echols and Nico Castel, Nell fell in love with Early Music and Sephardic Song. Specialization in Latin American and Spanish Baroque music, and music of the Sephardim, has taken her all over Europe, North and Latin America. She has been invited to join many leading Early Music ensembles in the capacity of soloist, guitarist, and Iberian/New World language and repertoire consultant. These groups include Apollo’s Fire, The Seattle Baroque Orchestra, Ex Umbris, Ensemble Viscera, El Mundo, Chatham Baroque and at Music Festivals from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Italy, to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. She has recorded for Sony Classical, Koch, Naxos and Dorian (for whom she served as language coach and soloist on 3 Spanish/New World Baroque cds). She was a featured soloist with El Mundo on “Kingdoms of Castille” in this same repertoire which was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Small Ensemble category. As a recitalist, Nell has joined forces with the Argentine lutenist/conductor Eduardo Egüez, their program “Vaya de Fiesta” features the two in works from Spain and Latin America accompanied by vihuela and baroque guitar. In addition to her busy performing career, Nell is highly sought out for concert curations. Her award-winning programs have been called, "revelatory" (BBC Music Magazine) "innovative and brilliant" (Cool Cleveland) and having the effect of "painting a vivid portrait of secular and sacred everyday life" (Chicago Tribune). Nell is also the co-Artistic Director of GEMAS:Early Music of the Americas. This concert series in NYC, devoted to the Early Music and Performers of Latin America and Canada, is a project of the Americas Society and GEMS (The Gotham Early Music Scene). More information can be found at www.gemsny.org/gemas. As a stage director, Nell brings her love of Baroque Gesture together with a modern sensibility that results in vital and dramatic performances. Her work has been seen at Indiana University, the University of Wisconsin/Madison and Queens College with future productions at NYU/Steinhardt School of the Arts and Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado. |
Zafir Tawil
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An accomplished Palestinian musician based in New York City, Zafer Tawil is a virtuoso on oud, violin, and qanoun, and is a master of Arabic percussion. He has performed with numerous musicians, ranging from the pop star Sting to avant-garde composer/performer Elliot Sharpe to masters of Arabic music such as Simon Shaheen, Chab Mami, Bassam Saba, and George Ziadeh, among many others.
Zafer has composed music for a number of film soundtracks, most recently Jonathan Demme’s My Favorite American (not yet released), Rachel Getting Married, andthe documentary Until When. He has held workshops on Arabic music at numerous universities throughout the United States. CDs include “Mumtastic,” by Shusmo; Gaida Hinawi’s debut CD, “Levantine Indulgence”; and two CDs by Amir AlSaffar’s Two Rivers: “Two Rivers Musicians,” and the yet-to-be-released, “Enaana.” |
Kane Mathis |
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Performing on the 21-string Mandinka Harp and the Turkish Oud, Kane Mathis renders compelling interpretations of these traditional musics. Years of study with generous masters have given Kane a rare opportunity to share these traditions with other cultures.
Kane began taking trips to The Gambia, West Africa in 1997 and has continued rigorous study of the Mandinka Kora. Over the past ten years his performances have earned him recognition by the Gambian president, The Gambian minister of culture, and both national television and radio of The Gambia. Kane’s primary kora teachers are Malamini Jobarteh of Brikama, The Gambia and Moriba Kouyate of The Gambia. The Jobarteh family remain one of The Gambia’s most important musical legacies. Tata Din din Jobarteh, Pa Bobo Jobarteh, and Siffai Jobarteh are the families current most visible exponents touring the world. Kane’s Oud study began with Mutlu Torun of the I.T.U. conservatory in 1998 in Istanbul and continued with 5 and a half years of courses with Oud virtuoso Münir Nurttin Beken. Since completing his study Kane has been sought after as a soloist and accompanist internationally on both instruments. As a composer Kane is generating new works for both instruments as well as experimental work for electronic fixed media for film and modern dance. Kane is the recipient of many grants including a Chamber Music America award as well as an Earshot Jazz "Album of The Year Award" |
Rex Benincasa
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Rex Benincasa has been a freelancing drummer and percussionist in New York since 1978. He has performed with the Concordia Chamber Players, Eurasia Consort, BaBan Chinese Music Society, Apollo's Fire, Ensemble Caprice, Alba Consort, The Sebastians, Seraphic Fire, and American Ballet Theater. CDs and/or movie soundtracks: Marty Balin, Karen Mason, Foday Musa Suso, Douglas Cuomo, Philip Glass, Sesame Street, and NFL Films. Rex has also performed on 35 Broadway shows and likes all kinds of music.
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Daphna Mor
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Praised for her “astonishing virtuosity” (Chicago Tribune), Daphna Mor (recorders, voice, ney) has performed throughout Europe and the United States as both a soloist and ensemble player. She appeared as a soloist at Tanglewood festival, the Met Museum and London’s Saint Martin’s the Fields with Apollo’s Fire Orchestra, as well as with the New York Collegium, the New York Early Music Ensemble, Little Orchestra Society at Carnegie Hall and more. As member of the orchestra, Mor performed with the New York Philharmonic, American Classical Orchestra and Orchestra of St. Luke's. Mor was awarded First Prize in the Settimane Musicali di Lugano Solo Competition and the Boston Conservatory Concerto Competition, and has appeared in a duo with Joyce DiDonato on the singer's promotional tour for the album In War and Peace. She can also be heard on Sting’s album If On A Winter’s Night for Deutsche Grammophon.
Mor has performed in festivals and on stages worldwide as band member of Basya Schechter’s Pharaoh’s Daughter and Rachid Hailial’s ensemble “Layali al Andelus” dedicated to Andalusian Moroccan Music. She was a ney student of Lebanese master Bassam Saba. Daphna is co-director, together with Nina Stern, of the ensemble East of the River ( www.eastoftherivermusic.com). A performer, curator and teacher of music of the Jewish diaspora, particularly of Sephardic repertoire, she is the Director of Beineinu Mitzvah (www.beineinu.com),a New York initiative dedicated to the modern cultivation of Jewish culture, and a performer and teacher of liturgical music. Dedicated to connecting communities through music, she was invited to Mumbai to offer the Jewish community a workshop of various diaspora melodies, and learn local ones. As a curator she recently co directed with conductor Jeannette Sorell a program for The New York Philharmonic at Lincoln Center. Devoted to new music, Mor has recorded on John Zorn's Tzadik label, and has performed the world premiere of David Bruce's Tears, Puffes, Jumps, and Galliard with the Metropolis Ensemble. She co-composed WAVES- for recorders, voice, cello and a beat boxer for Carolyn Dorfman Dance and performed it in summer 2017 in New York’s Summer Stage among other venues. Mor is a sought after visiting teacher in workshops and universities around the US. She also specializes and devoted to in Early Childhood Education. She leads programs for the Education Department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. |
Ilana Davidson
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Soprano Ilana Davidson has enjoyed a busy schedule of opera, concerts, and recitals, performing repertoire from the Renaissance and Baroque to the 21st centuries. Her performances have included William Bolcom's Songs Of Innocence and of Experience conducted by Leonard Slatkin at Carnegie Hall, which earned 4 Grammy Awards, including Best Classical Album and Best Composition as well as Mahler Symphony No. 4 with Leonard Slatkin and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (broadcast live), Mozart Arias at the Royal Concertgebouw Hall, Ligeti's Le Grand Macabre in the Netherlands, Krenek's Das Geheime Königreich in Vienna, Gluck's Orphée et Eurydice and Mahler Symphony No. 2 with the Québec Symphony Orchestra.
Recent highlights include Carnegie Hall performances of Mona Lisa (Von Schillings), Der Diktator (Krenek) and Songs From Jewish Folk Poetry (Shostakovich) with the American Symphony Orchestra and TON, a debut with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra as Euridice in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, Mahler Symphony No. 4 with Keith Lockhart at the Brevard Music Festival, the Anchorage Symphony, Bellingham Music Festival, Mozart Requiem and Haydn's Creation, Mozart Requiem with the Bellingham Music Festival, and numerous chamber music festivals in the United States and Canada. Recital highlights include a tour of the Lieder of Ernst Krenek, the New York Festival of Song, appearances with the Bard Music Festival, and the Annenberg Center in Palm Desert. Ms. Davidson has performed major works and operatic roles with the Staatsoper Stuttgart, Florida Grand Opera, Nationale Reisopera, Vlaamse Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Berkshire Choral Festival, Harrisburg Symphony, Duke Chapel, Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam, Krenek Festival Vienna, Innsbruck Early Music Festival and the Schwetzingen Festspiele. She has performed Haydn's Creation, Mozart's Requiem, and Handel's Messiah with the Berkshire Choral Festival. Recent performances include Pergolesi Stabat Mater and Mahler Symphonies No. 2 and 4 with Keith Lockhart at the Brevard Music Festival, Dallas Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony, and Lancing Symphony Orchestra. She has appeared with the Alpenglow Chamber Music Festival, Electric Earth Concerts, Monadnock Music, Staunton Music Festival, Ars Antiqua, Saltbay Chamberfest, Montage Music Society, the Riverside Choral Society, as well as the Riverdale Choral Society as Anne in Annelies by James Whitbourn. Ilana is featured on several commercial recordings, including works of Bolcom, Krenek, Weill, Zorn, Britten, Elwood, and more. She was awarded a BRIO award from the Bronx Council on the Arts, received a first prize in the Mostly Mozart Competition of Philadelphia, was a Sullivan Foundation recipient, received first place in the Mostly Mozart Competition of Philadelphia, and has been awarded several Bronx Council on the Arts project grants. Ilana Davidson received her Master of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, a Bachelor of Voice from Carnegie Mellon University, attended the Aston Manga Early Music Academy, and was a Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center for two seasons. Ilana received her yoga teacher training (RYT 200) in 2018. From 2011 - 2022, she served as artistic director and founder of the ClassicalCafé Chamber Music series, dedicated to bringing world-class chamber music to intimate settings. She is currently the artistic director and founder of the Serenata Chamber Series. Ilana has an active voice studio and created Vocally Mindful, a healing course for singers. She is also the Cantorial Soloist at Congregation Sons of Israel in Nyack. |
phone
917.797.4071