BRIGHTON: The Folklore Rooms

Saturday 18th January, 2025

7:30pm

Event information

Flora Curzon (violin/voice)
Francesca Ter-Berg (‘cello/voice)
Anna Lowenstein (violin) - NOTE the change from previously announced Merlin Shepherd (clarinets)
Polina Shepherd (voice, piano)

ANNOUNCEMENT!
Sadly, due to unforeseeable circumstances, Merlin Shepherd will be unable to join us for this performance. We will instead have the inimitable Anna Lowenstein joining us on violin. Please get in touch if you wish your ticket to be refunded.

Anna Lowenstein is one of the UK’s most sought-after musicians of the Klezmer fiddle tradition. Appearances have included live sessions on BBC Radio 3’s Music and an onstage role in the highly critically acclaimed production of Indecent alongside Musical Director and Clarinettist Merlin Shepherd. She has gigged, toured and taught across London and the UK, including Cecil Sharp House, Southbank Centre’s Friday Tonic series and The Jazz Cafe , Bridgewater Hall, Sage Gateshead, and multiple tours for the National Rural Touring Forum. She performs widely as part of Klezmer trio Loshn and has made up the faculty on both national and international workshops including Fiddlers On The Move – Belgium, Klezfest – London, KlezNorth – Derbyshire, Friling Festival - Austria. Her debut album, Through The Walls, is currently in production.

Despite the change, we are sure that the concert will be wonderful as we are making a double effort to make this spontaneous programme very exciting.

Come and hear the first time these four outstanding players come together as a quartet.
They will blend east European instrumental and vocal traditions pushing boundaries and expectations. All whilst staying close to the roots. A tradition brought up to date.
This will be an evening of spontaneity, flare and fun.
Expect to be on the edge of your seat. Or better still, up and dancing.

Multi-award-nominated experimental/folk duo Fran & Flora captivate audiences with their reinventions of traditional Eastern European melodies and songs. Francesca Ter-Berg (cello/voice) and Flora Curzon (violin/voice) draw inspiration from archival recordings, recovered manuscripts and studying with traditional masters, infusing source material with drones, loops, free improvisation and electronics to create a “border-defying” aesthetic (Mojo).

Polina Shepherd (voice, piano) grew up in a Russian Jewish home where songs were frequently sung at family celebrations. When living in Tatarstan and studying at the State Academy, she played Russia′s first klezmer band after Perestroika, and toured the world with her own quartet Ashkenazim. Now living in the UK, she leads choirs, collaborates with bands, orchestras, soloists, ensembles and performs internationally. Her compositions, including music for choirs, theatre, song settings for Yiddish poems are performed all over the world.

This is a premiere of these four outstanding players as a quartet. Expect an evening of improvisation, flare and fun. Those of you looking for heart-felt and passionate songs will be thrilled too. Performing both traditional and new compositions, they merge sounds of the Old World with sounds of the New.

Venue information

BRIGHTON: The Folklore Rooms

0	12 North St Brighton BN1 3GJ
>	www.folkloresessions.co.uk/thefolklorerooms
!	441273733238
`	The Folklore Rooms is a place for music lovers and performers to unite in a space dedicated to their craft. Located in Central Brighton above The Quadrant Pub, our beautiful venue is perfect for intimate folk shows as well as full band shows. Our space is equipped with top of the line sound & lighting equipment, cared for by our dedicated team of in-house engineers. At 60 capacity it is a beautifully intimate and unique performance space which is home to our monthly showcase nights, as well as wide range of shows and events. Fully Standing shows are 70 capacity. With an unbeatable atmosphere, great selection of craft beers on tap, and a whole host of events throughout the year, The Folklore Rooms is Brighton's newest music venue that delivers much more than just the show. This is music - as it should be.