Workshop 6pm, $10-25 Suggested
Concert 7:30, $10-25 Suggested
Thrilling harmony singing from Georgia, Corsica, the Balkans, and South Africa, American folk traditions, baroque polyphony and original compositions. Culomba, an omnivorous vocal ensemble based in Boston, brings together modern audiences to experience the beauty of vocal music from diverse traditions. These traditions are unlikely companions in many ways, and grew out of very different historical and geographic contexts, yet they tell universal stories: love and loss, the joys of youth and the wisdom of old age, and celebrating the earth and transcending its boundaries. By presenting these songs side by side, they will highlight their universal appeal and celebrate the diversity of human cultural expression. Their New-England tour brings them to the Mettabee Farm and Arts, where they are thrilled to be joined by the Linich Trio, a family trio with highly respected performer, scholar, and teacher of traditional Georgian polyphonic singing Carl Linich and his two sons Sean and Luka Linich, both born in Georgia. The family trio has performed together in Georgia, Europe, and the U.S. since 2009. Carl Linich received two prestigious merit awards from the Georgian government in recognition of his work to promote and preserve Georgian folk music. He currently directs the Supruli Ensemble in New York City and a Georgian choir at Bard College. They are based in Poughkeepsie, NY.
The concert will be preceded by a singing workshop led by the singers of Culomba to which all who would like to experience the joy of singing these different styles are welcome, regardless of singing experience or music reading skills. All selections of the evening will be taught by ear, and will be chosen from the South-African, Georgian, Balkan or American repertoire.
Links:
https://m.facebook.com/Culomba-290213281554553/
Videos:
https://www.facebook.com/290213281554553/videos/2171973799717535/
https://www.facebook.com/290213281554553/videos/301894430386438/
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RKC5bnc4Fvs
Bios:
Sophie Michaux was born in London and raised in the French Alps. Although she focuses on classical music, her versatility and musical curiosity have brought her to be an active performer in many repertoires including French Cabaret songs, English Sea Shanties, as well as various world polyphonies: in 2014 and 2017, she toured the U.S and Europe with Northern Harmony, an ensemble that is renowned for its command of varied world ethnic singing styles from the Balkans, the Republic of Georgia, South-Africa, and the United States. She is the founding member of Sophie et Adam, a folk music duet with guitarist and singer Adam Jacob Simon, and of Culomba, a world music ensemble with Adam Simon (Voice, Guitar, Double Bass), and Lysander Jaffe (Voice, Violin), Sora Harris-Vincent (voice and Shruti box), and Avery Sherman (voice) . She has also explored the Yiddish song repertoire, with performances at the Goethe Institute for the Anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprise and the celebration of musical wealth in the Vilna and Łódź Ghettos during WWII. More at www.sophiemichaux.com.
Lysander Jaffe is a versatile musician based in Boston. Raised by two jazz musicians in western Massachusetts, he studied classical violin and viola from a young age and discovered a love of folk singing as a teenager. A devoted student of traditional music, Lysander has studied with master musicians in Bulgaria, Kosovo, Greece, Corsica, and the Republic of Georgia. He lived abroad in Russia and the U.K. before earning his B.A. in Russian at Williams College. Since graduation, his omnivorous tastes and talents have led him to venues such as the Kennedy Center, the Museum of Jurassic Technology, and national television in Kosovo and Georgia. He has toured internationally with Northern Harmony and appeared as a soloist with The Christmas Revels. His current projects include Palaver Strings, a musician-led string ensemble and nonprofit, and Culomba, a vocal ensemble with eclectic repertoire from around the world. As an educator, Lysander is passionate about creating meaningful musical experiences for musicians and singers of all levels. He offers group and private instruction on violin, viola, and voice, as well as choir and ensemble coaching.
Adam Jacob Simon is a composer, baritone and guitarist active in the Boston area. Recent commissions from Conspirare, Lorelei Ensemble, The Rivers Conservatory, WordSong Boston, The Oriana Consort, and The Mak'haylah Choir in Lexington. He is an avid folk music singer as well, performing frequently with VT based vocal ensemble Northern Harmony, traveling throughout Europe, South Africa and the U.S. As a baritone soloist, he has been praised as singing with “wonderful romantic lyricism” and “reassuring warmth” - Rutland (VT) Herald. As co-founder of the folk music duo “Sophie et Adam” alongside French mezzo-soprano Sophie Michaux, he frequently performs a varied repertoire of French, American, and Yiddish folk music. In 2010 he won the St. Botolph Club Emerging Artist Award to record his String Quartet #1 with the Mt. Auburn String Quartet, founded by popular Boston cellist, Rafael Popper Keizer. His compositions have been performed throughout the US, UK, Germany, France, Switzerland and Macedonia. He studied composition with Howard Frazin, and music theory with Judy Ross at the Longy School of Music. Adam was born and raised in Cambridge MA, where he still resides.
Sora Harris-Vincent is a singer currrently based in LA. Growing up in Vermont, she attended her first Village Harmony concert at the influential age of 12 and knew she had to join the locally based world music group. Sora has sung with Village Harmony ever since, traveling around the US as well as internationally in Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Corsica to learn and perform traditional music. She recently toured around Europe with Northern Harmony where she thoroughly enjoyed performing nightly concerts and teaching workshops to singers of all ages and musical abilities. After studying the french horn in middle and high school, Sora branched out and joined an a cappella group at Smith College where she arranged music and directed her group for four years. As an elementary school teacher, Sora has worked hard to incorporate music into the classroom to engage and excite young learners with music from around the world. Sora is currently involved in musical projects on both coasts, traveling between Boston and Los Angeles to perform traditional folk music and original pieces for captivated audiences.
Avery Sherman began singing with the world renowned Chicago Children's Choir at 9 years old, studying under the tutelage of Josephine Lee, Judy Hanson, and Mollie Stone. Avery accompanied the CCC on tours to Italy, The Baltics, and Alaska. The CCC introduced Avery to a variety of musical styles including classical works like Faure's Requiem, Vivaldi Gloria, contemporary arrangements, and world music. It was an interest in world music, specifically choral music from South Africa that led Avery to join Village Harmony in 2011. With Village Harmony, Avery has traveled and studyed traditional music in South Africa, Republic of Georgia, Corsica, and Northumberland. Additionally, Avery studied voice at Depaul University under Marc Embree and Jane Bunnell. Avery is excited to continue pursuing a passion for world music with Culomba, and hopes to spread the teachings of all the world musicians that shared their own music and stories with him.
CARL LINICH has been a scholar, teacher,and performer of traditional Georgian polyphonic singing since 1990, and is a member of TrioKavkasia. A fluent Georgian speaker, Carl lived in Georgia for 10 years, and received two prestigious merit awards from the Georgian government in recognition of his work to promote and preserve Georgian folk music. He has worked on numerous publications related to Georgian folk music for the Tbilisi State Conservatory, the State Folklore Center of Georgia, and the International Centre for Georgian Folk Song. Carl has been leading Village Harmony camps since 2000, and toured with Northern Harmonyin 2001 and 2002. He currently directs the Supruli Ensemble in New York City and a Georgian choir at Bard College, and sings in a family trio with his two young sons, Luka and Sean Linich.www.kavkasia.com