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Yamma Ensemble draws from the roots of ancient Israeli poetry to
present joyous, vibrant and passionate music that blends the
traditional sounds of the Middle East and the contemporary
rhythms of the west.
To listen to Yamma Ensemble is to stroll the markets of Old
Jaffa, to sip coffee in a café above the Mediterranean. Like the
United States, Israel is the product of an immigrant society and
its music derives
from the Jewish communities that were scattered all over the
world as well from the first European immigrants. These
influences combine to create a fascinating mix between east and
west.
Yamma Ensemble is a five member band formed in 2004 by musicians
who represent some of the many different cultural and ethnic
backgrounds that call Israel home. The variety of languages,
cultures, and musical styles they perform in concert makes for a
truly unique, entertaining, and educational world music
experience.
The performance caps off a week-long residency that Yamma
Ensemble will hold at LCCC and throughout the Greater Cleveland
area from Sunday, October 16 through Saturday, October 22, 2011.
During their week, the members of the Yamma Ensemble will
conduct workshops with students, school groups, as well as at
area temples and senior centers.
Everyone is invited to meet the ensemble at an opening reception
for the residency week on Sunday, October 16 from 5-7 p.m. in
the Beth K. Stocker Art Gallery, which will also be
celebrating the close of the Artists and Teachers art
exhibition.
“It’s rare for small and mid-size Midwestern communities to host
ensembles from Israel,” said Janet Herman Barlow,
Director of Stocker Arts Center. “The music and culture Yamma
Ensemble shares will be absolutely fascinating and different
from what we typically hear. The ensemble will be at LCCC for a
full week and we expect this residency will be an engaging
cultural and musical learning experience for the community.”
According to Barlow, LCCC does not regularly have the resources
to host week-long residencies by international ensembles like
Yamma Ensemble. Arts Midwest, a regional arts organization based
in Minneapolis, offsets much of the cost and handles the
coordination of Arts Midwest World Fest tours in order to offer
smaller communities throughout the Midwest this rich
international arts experience.
Its purpose is to foster global understanding and appreciation
through cultural experiences. LCCC was
selected as one of only nine Midwestern cities to host the
2011-2013 Arts Midwest World Fest and is the only partner
community in Ohio to be a part of the program for this cycle.
Yamma Ensemble is the first of four ensembles to visit LCCC over
the course of this two-year partnership with Arts Midwest. The
other ensembles coming to Stocker Arts Center include: Tarim,
Uygur Song and Dance of Western China (March, 2012), Wust
el Balad from Egypt (Fall 2012), and Cudamani from
the island of Bali in Indonesia (Spring 2013).
Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for students with a valid ID;
and $10 for children 12 and under. They will also perform a
one-hour Student Matinee performance at 10:00 a.m. on Friday,
October 21 at Stocker Arts Center. Tickets for the Student
Matinee are $4/each. Tickets can be ordered online at
www.stockerartscenter.com or by calling the Stocker Arts Center
box office at (440) 366-4040.
For more information about Yamma Ensemble and Arts Midwest World
Fest, visit
www.stockerartscenter.com.
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