Slaveya & Lyuti Chushki - Balkan Music Concert Feb 13 2009

[LarryWeiner]

A Balkan Celebration with
Slaveya
&
Lyuti Chushki
Friday, February 13, 2009 - 8:00 to 10:00 pm
Washington Ethical Society Auditorium
7750 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20016

General Admission $20 / Students $10 (to age 22)
FSGW Members Free (donations encouraged!)

If you like edgy, high-energy folk music, beautiful voices and
spirited dancing, you’re in for a treat. We (the Folklore Society of
Greater Washington - FSGW) celebrate Balkan music with two groups that
perform mostly in this, the Washington DC, area but have close ties to
Bulgaria. Be ready to hear tight harmonies and join in the dancing.

Slaveya - Taking its name from the Bulgarian word for “nightingale,”
Slaveya is a woman’s vocal ensemble founded in 1984 by former members
of the Yale Slavic Chorus. Unaccompanied song in the Slavic heritage
of Bulgaria, Macedonia, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Russia and Ukraine is
traditionally performed by women, and includes songs of home and
village – lullabies, laments, historical tales, and field songs. Some
are gentle, some loud, with percussive and pulsating harmonies that
send shivers up your spine.

Lyuti Chushki means “hot peppers” in Bulgarian. This group has been
performing their spicy tunes for more than 10 years. Originally, this
old pastoral music was played solo on the kaval (end-blown flute),
gudulka (lyra-shaped instrument) or gaida (bagpipe). It’s only since
the 1930s that this type of small folk ensemble began playing
together, with the tambura (fretted guitar-like instrument) and tupan
(large drum) serving as accompaniment. Today, most traditional
Bulgarian folk bands also feature a singer in their presentation of
this infectious music with its unusual rhythms. This is music for
celebration, whether it be weddings, holidays, political or other
festive events.

For more information go to:

http://www.larryweiner.com/SlaveyaLyutiChushkiFeb13.pdf

or

www.fsgw.org, or Marty at 703-354-6460.