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November 15, 2011 (El Cajon) -- Kitka Women's Vocal Ensemble will perform a holiday-themed program, “Wintersongs” at the Cuyamaca College Performing Arts Theatre. Wintersongs showcases music ranging from rousing Slavic folk carols and Eastern Orthodox sacred choral works to pre-Christian incantations for the longest nights of the year and Hebrew folk songs for Chanukah.
The performance takes place Thursday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m. through 10:00 p.m., at Cuyamaca College Performing Arts Theatre, located at 900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy, El Cajon CA. General admission tickets are $20.00.
History: Kitka is an American women's vocal arts ensemble inspired by traditional songs and vocal techniques from Eastern Europe. Dedicated to developing new audiences for music rooted in Balkan, Slavic, and Caucasian women's vocal traditions, Kitka also strives to expand the boundaries of folk song as a living and evolving expressive art form. Founded in 1979, Kitka began as a grassroots group of amateur singers from diverse backgrounds. Kitka has deep ties to Eastern Europe and has traveled there to perform and collect repertoire many times. Kitka means “bouquet” in Bulgarian and Macedonian.
Kitka’s singers regularly conduct fieldwork in ethnic communities throughout America as well as abroad. Many of Kitka’s singers are alsotalented composers and arrangers who create original settings of songs they have gathered in the field. KITKA's material ranges from ancient village duets to complex choral works, from early music to contemporary theater. The sound of their voices is exotic, both elegant and eerie.Kitka’s work unites diverse languages, rhythms, melodies, and harmonies to cultivate a spirit of friendship, cross-cultural understanding, and compassion. Music brings people together everywhere — it has no boundaries. These women clearly share a passion for what they do.
Some of the major grants Kitka has received are from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Rockefeller Foundation.
Kitka’s unique sound and innovative sense of programming has led to dozens of other fruitful collaborations, ranging from working with Hollywood composers and independent film-makers on motion picture soundtracks including Braveheart, Jacob’s Ladder, and Queen of the Damned. Also, Kitka has released eleven critically acclaimed recordings, nine on its own on Diaphonica label.
Reviews: “Simply amazing harmonies…truly this is the most wonderful singing I have ever heard.” — David Crosby, Crosby, Stills, And Nash. “A stunning group unlike any other…absolutely electrifying!” — Garrison Keillor, A Prairie Home Companion.
Advance ticket sales are available and may be purchased on line: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/204242 Also, tickets are for sale at the college Cashier’s office in the Student One-Stop Center, Bldg. A. The Cuyamaca College 364-seatPerforming arts theatre is a stunning venue with great acoustics.
For more information regarding Kitka please visit: http://www.kitka.org/about/index.html
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