Today's date:

Armenian folk singer Hasmik Harutyunyan's grandmother, Mafo, and her brother, Yessai.

Donate by June 30th and the NEA will match your gift!

“Every mother in the world wants the same thing for her children… to grow up healthy, happy, and secure. When a mother sings a lullaby, it is a sacred, magical act… like a meditation. She summons all the powers of creation to soothe, strengthen, and protect her baby. A lullaby connects the whole universe with the cradle…”
     — Hasmik Harutyunyan, Kitka's Armenian folksong mentor

Kitka is currently gathering, documenting and creatively re-interpreting traditional lullabies that have been passed on in the oral tradition by generations of Balkan, Slavic, Georgian and Armenian women. We are learning many breathtaking and tender melodies directly from native singers who heard them sung by their mothers and grandmothers. These songs will be shared through a new CD with a companion songbook, and a 2009 30th Anniversary Season national concert tour.

The National Endowment for the Arts has awarded Kitka a $25,000 matching grant specifically for our Lullabies and Songs of Childhood Project!

Will you help us meet this challenge by making a gift today? Every dollar you give before June 30th will be matched by the NEA!

Thank you gifts include CDs, Songbooks and a special Preview Event...

Click here to learn more about Kitka’s Lullabies and Songs of Childhood Project.

Visit these online photo galleries of recent Kitka events:

The Rusalka Cycle: Songs Between the Worlds
January 2008 at the Friend Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California.
Rehearsal and Production Shots by Raymond Van Tassel

Kitka in Concert with Mariana Sadovska:
Songs and Stories from Ukraine
October 28, 2007 at the Oakland Metro Opera Theater.
Photos by Raymond Van Tassel

Songs of Albania:
Kitka in Concert
with Merita Halili, Raif Hyseni, and Polly Tapia Ferber
Photographed by Raymond Van Tassel in June 2007

Musical Fortunes: New Music inspired by Jewish and Romani Routes
with Dan Cantrell, Rumen Sali Shopov, Michael Alpert, Elizabeth Strong, Rachel Brice, and Friends
Photographed by Raymond Van Tassel in March 2007

The Rusalka Cycle:
Songs Between The Worlds November 2005
World Premiere Run
Photographed by
Listen for Life

Kitka is seeking new singers with strong, beautiful voices and engaging stage presence. We are looking for women who are adept at singing in both open/chest voice and head voice styles.

To learn more about auditioning for Kitka click here.

 

Great Gift Ideas from Kitka

Listen to samples from the Sanctuary CD by clicking here.

Order your copy of Sanctuary today, and consider Kitka’s other CDs, Cassettes, and Songbooks as gifts for the music-lovers in your life.

Sanctuary

The Rusalka Cycle

Wintersongs

The Vine	Nectar	Voices on the Eastern Wind

Kitka & Davka: In Concert

Wintersongs Songbook

Click here to place your order online
or Charge by Phone at 510.444.0323

KITKA’s Wish List

 Office and Concert Production Volunteers
 Flat-screen Mac/USB color monitors
 Mac Airport Wireless hardware
 iPods
 Independent Financial Audit
 Frequent flyer vouchers
 Printing services
 VIP rental car club membership
 3 pro-quality choral microphones
 9 pro-quality solo vocal microphones
 Portable stereo system
 Free/low cost rehearsal space
 Comfortable East Bay Lodging for Guest Artists
 Pro photo shoot

Professional assistance in:
 Accounting and financial management
 Booking management
 Costuming
 Data entry
 Entertainment law
 Record distribution
 Public relations
 Fundraising
 Special event planning
 MAC computer issues
 Website design and internet marketing
 
Contact Kitka at 510.444.0323 if you are interested in donating any of the above items or services.

For more information, call or write:
KITKA
1201 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Oakland, CA 94612 USA
Tel: 510.444.0323   *   Fax: 510.444.1013
Email:
http://www.kitka.org

 

We are seeking nominations (feel free to nominate yourself!) for individuals who are deeply devoted to Kitka’s work and who have experience, skills and/or connections that can help us to manifest our long range artistic and organizational goals. We are particularly seeking individuals with backgrounds in financial management, strategic planning, non-profit governance, the music industry, arts education, marketing and PR, event planning, and fund-raising. Our Board of Directors meets quarterly. To learn more about Board service, please contact Executive Director Shira Cion at or 510.444.0323.