WE REGRETFULLY ANNOUNCE THAT THIS WORKSHOP HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO ILLNESS.
Kitka presents: Sevdah: Songs of the Soul from Bosnia
- CYF Room, First Congregational Church of Oakland
2501 Harrison Street
Oakland, CA 94612 - 2.5 hour workshop - 7pm-9:30pm
- $45
- Combo ticket Vocal Workshop/Concert for $75 ($15 discount)
- Space is limited and advance registration highly recommended
It is not easy to find a single word in English that can fully capture the Bosnian concept of SEVDAH, although yearning perhaps comes closest. Like the Spanish concept of "duende", Sevdah carries multiple meanings - love, hopeless love, endless love, an all-consuming, feverish, unshakable lover's desire for their beloved.
More than just a song-style, Sevdah is a way of life, a narrative of longing that tells its story through passionate songs that spring straight from the soul.
Amira Medunjanin was born in Sarajevo at the time when the popularity of traditional music in the former Yugoslavia was at the high tide, and sevdah held a special place for her. The sevdalinke (sevdah songs) she learned from her mother were the most beautiful of melodies. Her fascination with the oral tradition of Bosnia and Herzegovina led her to devote herself to to exploring the expressive capacity of sevdalinke to the fullest, and in so doing she has become one of the genre's most unique and compelling voices.
Music journalist Garth Cartwright has dubbed Amira "Bosnia's Billie Holiday". The comparison reflects the way Amira voice turns sevdah inside out, finding new paths of expression within a tradition that dates back centuries.
This very special workshop is open to singers of all ages, genders, and levels of experience. Space is limited and advance registration highly recommended.
Learn more about Amira.