Jewish A Cappella Group
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Jewish A Cappella Group |
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Kol Rina, the Jewish a cappella group, has been awarded a grant from the European
Association of Jewish Culture, specifically to promote the recording of an original
musical work.
Inspired by Hebrew liturgy, and influenced by styles from gospel to pop, Kol
Rina's unique sound hangs on a repertoire mostly consisting of original compositions
written by group members. 2002 saw the group's first major concert, which was
performed to a sell-out audience. The successful year concluded with performances
at the Spirit Matters Conference, Yom Masorti and Limmud Conference.
The grant of €3000 will enable Kol Rina to record an album to be made
available at performances and on Kol Rina's website. The European Association
of Jewish Culture provides 20-30 grants per year promote new projects in the
fields of visual arts, performing arts, media and research and Kol Rina was
selected out of dozens of applications. Miki Grahame, one of the group's founders,
said: "this is such an exciting opportunity for Kol Rina. We had a brilliant
year in 2002 and this grant will mean that we can continue to go from strength
to strength."
The album, as yet untitled, is expected to be released by September 2003.
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Kol Rina is the only Jewish mixed a cappella group in the UK. It was established
in Cambridge in 1996 by a small group of enthusiasts and has since grown to
a group of 10 - a mixture of men and women, aged between 19 and 38, and from
a range of Jewish backgrounds.
Almost all of Kol Rina's songs are original compositions by members of the group.
These new works draw on our varied sources of inspiration - including traditional,
classical, Chassidic, gospel, minimalist and popular music. Staying true to
our roots, we sing predominantly in Hebrew, as many of the lyrics are excerpts
from the liturgy.
"Kol Rina" is Hebrew for "Voice of Joy" - chosen because
we sing for enjoyment, from creating our music to sharing it with others. We
contribute to the community through free performances, workshops, recitals at
local Jewish Care homes, and fund-raising concerts for charity.
Kol Rina has performed and run sessions at Limmud Conference in 1999, 2000,
2001 and 2002. Recently Kol Rina has featured on Shalom FM and has performed
at Yom Masorti at the Sternberg Centre, London.
The European Association of Jewish Culture is a joint British-French cultural
agency venture which was founded in 2001. It seeks 'to enhance Jewish life by
fostering and supporting artistic creativity and achievement, assisting scholarly
research and encouraging access to Jewish culture across Europe.' The EAJC offers
grants in various fields, including visual arts, performing arts, media/publishing
and scholarship and research.
For further information or quotes:
· contact Miki Grahame on 07944 634 544
· e-mail miki@kolrina.org
· visit Kol Rina's website at www.kolrina.org