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April 14, 2006
An eclectic musical journey
This year's Yom Ha'atzmaut celebration reunites Israeli group.
CYNTHIA RAMSAY
This year's Yom Ha'atzmaut concert at the Chan Centre for the Performing
Arts will be a double celebration. Most importantly, it will mark
Israel's 58th birthday. It also will reunite musicians Shlomo Gronich,
Hanan Bar-Sela, Michal Adler and Boris Sichon.
Since coming to Vancouver in 2004, Sichon has made his mark on this
city. He plays pretty much every percussion instrument that exists
and does so with finesse. Chutzpah! audiences have enjoyed his show
The Wandering Jew, as well as the première this year
of a duet with dancer Emily Molnar. He has performed in a number
of other festivals, as well as with Uzume Taiko, Pepe Danza and
Saul Berson.
What Vancouverites may not know is that Sichon spent a number years
in Israel. It was there where, among other projects, he played in
a group with renowned pianist, composer and singer Gronich, clarinetist,
saxophonist and conductor Bar-Sela and world-class harmonica player
Adler, who happens to be married to Gronich. While she is also a
singer, she won't be performing in that capacity at the Yom Ha'atzmaut
concert.
"We were a bit sad [that] she wasn't able to come because there
was a show for her scheduled at the same time, but now this show
has been postponed, so she's able to come and we are very happy
that she'll be coming too," said Gronich about Adler's participation
in the concert, which makes the group complete.
At the show, Gronich said, the ensemble will perform songs from
"the Jewish repertoire dressed up in new and surprising arrangements
of mine and also original scores of mine." These will include
ancient melodies, Chassidic dances and even selections from the
musical Fiddler on the Roof.
While the quartet recently got together in Israel, when Sichon was
there for a visit, their Vancouver performance is a one-shot deal
and is not part of a larger concert tour, said Gronich. They would
have liked to have booked more dates, he said, but they couldn't,
as he is in the midst of recording sessions for a new CD.
To date, Gronich has released 17 recordings. When the Independent
spoke with him from his home in Israel, it was the day after
he had returned from New York, where he had performed a concert
with Arabic singer Lubana Salame and a new ensemble of Jewish and
Arabic musicians called Adamai. It is with this group that he is
recording his next CD.
Gronich said he is also working on compositions for the Sheba Choir
and their new CD. Vancouverites will remember the choir's energetic
and heartfelt performance at the community's celebration of Israel's
55th Independence Day. In 2003, Gronich came to the city with the
Sheba Choir, which is made up of Ethiopian youth, mostly new immigrants
to Israel. The choir was established more than 10 years ago by Gronich,
who continues to serve as artistic director and solo performer with
the group.
When he comes to perform at this year's Yom Ha'atzmaut celebration,
Gronich is coming with a mood of cautious optimism about Israel's
future.
"Yes, I'm optimistic, but I'm worried," he told the Independent.
"The last elections showed not only the bad side of what's
going on, but also the good side. It was a real mixed feeling that
these elections showed: on the one side, the right wing is very
much alive; on the other side, the people who want compromise are
also strengthened up. It's really mixed. I'm worried.... But I live
and I serve my country with a big optimism."
Gronich – who also has been commissioned to write compositions
that range from classical to theatre, film themes to ballet scores
– was hesitant to say which type of music he preferred.
"If I had to choose, I'd say that I prefer performing. The
phenomena of being on stage and delivering your soul to other people,
to expose your soul to other people, is very exciting for me and
I love doing it."
Vancouverites can once more enjoy Gronich's love of performing at
this year's Yom Ha'atzmaut concert, which takes place Tuesday, May
2, 7:30 p.m., at the Chan Centre at the University of British Columbia.
Tickets are $12 and parking is free. For tickets, contact the Jewish
Federation of Greater Vancouver at 604-257-5100 or www.jfgv.com
or Ticketmaster at 604-280-3311 or www.ticketmaster.ca.
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