April 10, 2011

TORONTO JEWISH FOLK CHOIR'S 85TH ANNUAL SPRING CONCERT

SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011 AT POSLUNS AUDITORIUM The Toronto Jewish Folk Choir celebrates its 85th annual Spring concert by commemorating the original immigrant workers who founded the choir. Its performance - under conductor Alexander Veprinsky - features special guests Beyond The Pale (2010 Canadian Folk Music Awards' Instrumental Group of the Year).

The concert takes place at the Posluns Auditorium at Baycrest, 3560 Bathurst Street, north entrance, 2nd floor (wheelchair accessible), Sunday, May 15, 2011, 3 p.m.

Tickets are $25; seniors and students, $20; children 12 and under free. Information and ticket reservations may be obtained by calling 416-789-5502 or e-mailing tjfolkchoir@sympatico.ca Info will also be available at www.winchevskycentre.org/institutions/choir.html and at the Toronto Jewish Folk Choir on Facebook.

The Choir's major work, In Amerike, vividly captures the immigrant experience in an evocative suite by Winnipeg composer Sid Robinovitch. The words are from In Kanade (In Canada), a two-volume novel in verse by the late Montreal Yiddish poet Sholem Shtern. The Choir performs the work with Beyond The Pale, the klezmer sextet that captured the "Pushing the Boundaries" prize at the 2010 Canadian Folk Music Awards, and was named Instrumental Group of the Year.

Celebrating her 35th season as the Choir's accompanist, pianist Lina Zemelman plays the piano part of In Amerike, and accompanies the Choir in a lively mix of music, in Yiddish, Hebrew, English and more. Soloists are sopranos Miriam Eskin and Galina Kuznetsov, tenor Martin Houtman, baritone Charlie Sise and bass Herman Rombouts.

Founded in 1925 primarily by immigrant garment workers, the Toronto Jewish Folk Choir is Canada's longest continuing Jewish performance group, with an illustrious history. While singing in many languages, the Choir prides itself on helping to keep the Yiddish language alive through its repertoire. More information on the Choir is at The Encyclopedia of Music in Canada
: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0003439

The May 15 concert is presented with the assistance of the Toronto Arts Council, and Choir members and friends.
Posted by jmwc at April 10, 2011 07:15 PM