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Gualala Arts
Promoting public interest and participation in the arts since 1961.
Archive of past events: 2004 through 2014
The final Gualala Arts Global Harmony series concert of 2012 features Kitka Women's Vocal Ensemble on Friday, December 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the Coleman Auditorium.
Founded in 1979, the group strives to expose the listener to the traditional songs and vocal techniques of Eastern Europe, where a distinctive folk tradition has existed for thousands of years. Kitka began as an Oakland based group of amateur singers with a passion for the dissonances, asymmetrical rhythms, intricate ornamentation and lush harmonies rooted in rural Balkan, Slavic and Caucasian women's vocal traditions. Today it is an internationally recognized professional ensemble with eleven critically acclaimed recordings. Cradle Songs, a 2009 release, was named "One of the Top Ten CDs of 2009" by National Public Radio.
Public Radio's "The World" and "Prairie Home Companion" have featured Kitka. In recent years their live concerts have been broadcast on 80 public television stations in the United States, on CBC / Radio-Canada, and on Ukrainian and German radio and television. A complete listing of their projects can be found at Kitka.org. One member of the group, Kelly Atkins, is the daughter of Phil and Lynne Atkins, Gualala residents and active members of Gualala Arts. Both Phil and Lynne perform often in Art Center Theater (ACT). In addition to being one of the founders of ACT, Lynne often directs and is currently in production for Camelot, scheduled to be performed next February. This concert caps a successful year with performances from a number of internationally acclaimed artists such as Elaine Elias with Marc Johnson and Kronos Quartet. Advance tickets are $22 for adults, $5 more on the day of the performance; youth 7 to 17 are admitted free. For advance purchase, go to Brown Paper Tickets or call them at 800-838-3006. To purchase in person, visit the Gualala Arts Center or Dolphin Gallery in Gualala.
The Gualala Arts Center, located at 46501 Old State Highway in Gualala, CA, |
Their repertoire includes not only traditional and contemporary music researched during tours in the Ukraine, Hungary, Georgia, Macedonia, Russia, Turkey, Bulgaria and other locations, but also contains original arrangements based on material collected in the field. Kitka has collaborated with Hollywood composers and independent film makers on movie soundtracks including Braveheart, Jacob's Ladder and Queen of the Damned.
