Kitka Brings ‘Powerful Women’s Voices, Joined Together’ From East To Western

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For four years, the Oakland ensemble Kitka has sung intricate harmonies from Eastern Europe. People Shira Cion and Kelly Atkins speak about the team’s brand brand new record record album, Star evening.

LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:

The daylight is dwindling away. The solstice comes on Friday. Therefore why don’t we pay attention to some warming songs from Eastern Europe that celebrate the summer season upon us.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, «MOMCI KOLEDARCI»)

KITKA LADIES’ VOCAL ENSEMBLE: (Performing in Bulgarian).

GARCIA-NAVARRO: The record record album «Evening Star» features harmonies unique to Balkan, Slavic and Caucasian lands. But listed here is the twist — they are offered up by Kitka, an ensemble that is vocal of years standing situated in the San Francisco Bay region. Shira Cion may be the team’s creative manager. She joins us from the studios of KQED. Welcome.

SHIRA CION: so excellent to be right here, Lulu. Many thanks.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: additionally with us is Kelly Atkins. She is another Kitkat — i do believe that is what you call yourselves, appropriate?

KELLY ATKINS: It Really Is, yes. Hi.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Hi. Shira, i will focus on you. You are quoted into the press records saying this music springs from a, estimate, «instinct to get together and sing when you look at the deep, dark heart of wintertime.» I enjoy that, in addition. Performs this music help bring the body temperature up?

CION: they really think it most likely does. And it is been interesting. You realize, a lot of studies are now actually developing about kind of the physical and intellectual and social great things about harmony performing and singing that is choral. And i believe all of the science is simply showing a thing that Eastern European villagers have actually recognized for hundreds of years, which will be that whenever times are tough, whenever climate conditions are cool, where just surviving through a hard season actually calls upon communities in the future together, it is an occasion to sing. And I also think performing does carry spirits. It does type of synchronize our organisms together. I truly do think it will help us endure through attempting times.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Kelly, that image of this deep, dark heart of wintertime can also be a metaphor, i assume, associated with the types of music that this is certainly. Let me know just exactly what — just exactly just how the truth is it.

ATKINS: Well, we additionally utilize the metaphor associated with rounds of life. A number of the tracks, while you probably noticed, through the record album are literally about cold weather. Plus some of those are concerning the cold weather of life. So we sort of see plenty of the tracks we go through in our own lives that we sing not only about the holidays themselves but about the cycles.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: Why don’t we tune in to a little bit of the title track. It is A bulgarian track — «Evening celebrity.»

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, «ZVEZDA VECERNICA»)

KITKA LADIES’ VOCAL ENSEMBLE: (Performing in Bulgarian).

GARCIA-NAVARRO: i eventually got to inform you, it is like something profoundly ancient and thrumming. You understand, it comes down — it surely arises from this kind of crucial place. It surely does. It is amazing. Kelly, i am aware you have back ground being an indie rocker. exactly exactly What got you enthusiastic about Eastern European vocal music?

ATKINS: Well, the very first time I saw the Bulgarian Women’s Choir, I happened to be at Grace Cathedral. And I also sat within the pews and merely wept. And I also could not determine just what ended up being occurring for me. Also it simply rocked me personally on a rather, extremely level that is deep. Thus I think that has been my gateway medication, in the group as we call it. Just about everyone has our gateway medication of Bulgarian choir music.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: (Laughter) Shira, individuals additionally are amazed to find out that there is really numerous vocal groups right right here in the us devoted to Eastern European music. There Is Kitka. There is Planina located in Denver. There is the Yale Slavic Chorus, that has been around very nearly 50 years. Exactly What do you consider makes.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: . The songs so irresistible to feminine vocalists?

CION: Well, i do believe for all those of us whom i might state recognize as liberal US feminists, there is one thing concerning the quality of powerful ladies’ sounds joined up with together in this extremely real, extremely harmony that is close often dissonant harmony designs that actually interests a modern American feminine sensibility.

(SOUNDBITE OF UNIDENTIFIED KITKA SONG)

KITKA WOMEN’S VOCAL ENSEMBLE: (performing in language).

CION: And they are countries where work ended up being usually split by sex. And females had been familiar with producing in community and music that is creating in community. We were really just discussing this when you look at the greenroom previous today — just how many of us whom sing in Kitka are a lot more oriented in direction of kind of collective and harmony performing than individualistic, soloistic performing. and I also think it type of counters the type of highly individualistic trend that America values a great deal. It really is, like.

CION: . Everybody to.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: The solamente musician.

CION: . Themself (ph).

CION: The solamente musician. And also this is actually a public kind that really can just fly when there is a residential district of individuals taking part in it.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: let us pay attention now up to A ukrainian carol from your record.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, «V HOSPODARON’KA»)

KITKA LADIES’ VOCAL ENSEMBLE: (Singing in Ukrainian).

GARCIA-NAVARRO: and this is obviously A ukrainian carol for New season’s. And also you actually traveled here some time straight back and met up by having a group that is ukrainian. Think about your other travels to do in Eastern Europe? What’s been the effect from audiences?

ATKINS: we had been in Serbia about — ended up being it 5 years ago?

ATKINS: and it also was my very first time with Kitka traveling abroad and singing Serbian music to Serbians. And I also truthfully ended up being stressed going. I became thinking, whom have always been I as A us to go and sing these tracks in the front of the individuals where, you understand, they will have these deep origins with these tracks? However in reality, we had been received really warmly. Also it https://asiandates.org really was a cathartic experience for both the viewers as well as us.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: therefore, Kelly and Shira, this will be to you both. What exactly is your favorite track in the record album?

CION: Oh, that is a tough one.

CION: What you think about maybe «Blazentsv»?

ATKINS: Possibly «Blazentsv.»

CION: Yeah. This is not theoretically a cold weather track. But it is a track during the holiday season that we feel articulates qualities that we all try to summon in ourselves. It is a musical environment of «The Beatitudes» by the Russian composer Vladimir Martynov. And, you realize, they are calling the listener to embody characteristics of generosity and compassion and kindness, residing just in order that other people might just live and simply because real contentment actually originates from types of going from the grain of greed and egoism and materialism and physical violence and residing carefully, residing kindly to ensure that other people can have the kingdom of paradise here in the world.

GARCIA-NAVARRO: This is certainly a good vacation message. Shira Cion and Kelly Atkins through the Kitka female’s Vocal Ensemble. Their album that is new is «Evening Star.» Many thanks both quite definitely.

CION: many thanks a great deal for having us.

ATKINS: many thanks.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, «ZAPOVEDI BLAZENSTV/ THE BEATITUDES»)

KITKA LADIES’ VOCAL ENSEMBLE: (Performing in Russian).

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Correction Jan. 18, 2019

A past form of the internet summary listed a incorrect record title. Kitka’s showcased record is named Evening celebrity, not Harmonies of Heaven and world.