September 27, 2008

The Lost Soul of Spain. Music and Dance of the Sephardic Jews

The Yuval Ron Ensemble featuring two stunning guest performers: Israeli-Tunisian singer Smadar Levi and Israeli-Moroccan dancer Maya Karasso. With Jamie Papish- Percussion, David Martinelli- Percussion, Norik Manoukian – Woodwinds, Vergine Alumyan – Kanoun, Carolyne Aycaguer – Harmonium.

Where: Brentwood Presbyterian Church.
12000 San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90049

When: Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 7 PM
Tix: $20 at the door.
Info: info@yuvalronmusic.com or Calendar page at www.yuvalronmusic.com
tel: (818) 505-1355

Oscar winning composer. World music producer and artist Yuval Ron (Oud and Saz) presents a preview concert of the music, his international ensemble will perform for the King of Morocco, at the International Sacred Music of Fez in June 2009. The program will feature Hebrew and Ladino songs from Morocco, Andalusia, Bosnia, and Israel. Woven in between the songs are travel stories, kabalistic interpretations, and personal anecdotes of the life and culture, out of which grew the fruit of the Sephardic music.

The Yuval Ron Ensemble unites the sacred musical traditions of Judaism, Sufism (Islamic mystical tradition) and the Christian Armenian Church into an unusual musical celebration. Bringing together artists from Arabic, Jewish and Christian ancestry the Yuval Ron Ensemble is dedicated to fostering an understanding of Middle Eastern cultures and religions

In April of 2008, the Ensemble was invited to headline the benefit concert for "Seeds of Compassion" - the Dalai Lama's conference - in Seattle, WA. In 2002 and 2005, the ensemble was featured at the World Festival of Sacred Music in Los Angeles and was honored to be the first American-based Middle Eastern Ensemble to perform at an International Peace Festival ’05 in South Korea. In addition, the Ensemble was chosen by the Mid-Atlantic Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts to represent the United States and its cultural diversity at the International Folk Music Festival in Lublin, Poland in 2005. In 2006 the Ensemble was the first to introduce the music of the Middle East to Chihuahua, Mexico at the International Chihuahua Festival, and in 2007 it was featured in the International Oud Festival in Jerusalem, Israel.

Composer and Oud master Yuval Ron works across different media and styles, actively seeking new forms of interchange and collaboration between musicians and other artists. His compositions have served as soundtracks for television programs and films such as Oliver Twist (UPN Network) and To Life (a CBS special), to dance works with the innovative dancer/choreographer Oguri (with music from these collaborations recorded on two CDs, In Between the Heartbeat and In The Shadows), to concert works for chorus, orchestra, and cello. He has also served as an impresario, helping to organize concerts at the UCLA Hammer Museum highlighting the diversity of musical styles to be found in the Los Angeles area.

But for many, Yuval is known for his deeply moving pan-Middle Eastern music. This group at once unites the music and peoples of the Middle East, incorporating elements of Armenian, Levantine, Arabic, Bedouin, Sephardic, and other stylings to create a fusion that is at once deeply traditional and still boldly innovative. His recordings include One and One Truth (with renowned Turkish Sufi musician Omar Faruk Tekbilek), Under the Olive Tree: Sacred Music of the Middle East, featuring the spectacular young Arabic singer, Najwa Gibran and most recently Tree of Life also featuring Najwa Gibran.

www.yuvalronmusic.com www.myspace.com/yuvalronensemble www.myspace.com/yuvalron Posted by jmwc at September 27, 2008 07:19 PM