SUMMARY:
Prague-born, Toronto-based composer, vocalist and bandleader, in the midst of a diverse international concert career; recipient of the 2012 CFMA “Traditional Singer of the Year” for her fifth solo CD “Songs for the Breathing Walls". Lenka Lichtenberg creates uniquely Canadian world music, channeling the rich Toronto soundscapes of Middle East, India and Brazil, and her own East European heritage. Her new CD Embrace will be released
More:
In 2012, Lenka has produced and released 2 recordings: her 5th solo CD "Songs for the Breathing Walls", recorded live in Czech and Moravian synagogues, and "Lenka Lichtenberg & Roula Said: Bridges". In 2013, Lenka will release 2 CDs: "Embrace", her most cohesive world music collection yet, and "Lullabies from Exile", a collaboration with the unique Iraqi Israeli oud virtuoso, Yair Dalal.
AWARDS:
Canadian Folk Music Award : 2012 Traditional Singer of the Year.
Lenka's Yiddish world music album "Fray" was honoured with nominations in the 2012 Toronto Independent Music Awards, world music category, and the 2011 Canadian Folk Music Awards, world solo artist category, and she also won the 2011 Porcupine Award, in Musique de la monde category for this recording. Her song "Peace is the Only Way" won 2011 Songs from the Heart, multicultural category, and was a finalist in the 2011 John Lennon Song-writing contest, Session II. As well as a performing and recording artist, Lenka is a prolific composer. Two of her new liturgy compositions were chosen for publication by the 2013 International edition of Shalshelet.
Projects and collaborations:
Fray: Yiddish ethno-jazz. Original compositions in Yiddish and English. Band members: Alan Hetherington, John Gzowski, Ravi Naimpally, Chris Gartner and Ernie Tollar. Featured on "Fray" and "Embrace".
Bridges:
Lenka’s program with Roula Said, “Bridges: a Yiddish/Arabic musical dialogue", was first presented by Small World Music at the Lula Lounge in Toronto in 2011. It was featured again on March 5, 2012, at the Al Green Theater in Toronto. The concert launched CD "Bridges: Live at Lula Lounge".
Lullabies from Exile:
A recording project-in-progress,Yiddish and Iraqi music intertwined. Collaboration with the oud and violin virtuoso Yair Dalal, with whom Lenka also gave concerts in Slovakia and Czech Republic in 2010 and 2011, and in the U.S and Canada in 2012. Planned release, November 2013.
Songs for the Breathing Walls:
Live recordings of sacred songs in Hebrew with various international artists (David Doruzka and Tomas Reindl, Czech republic; Christian Dawid, Germany; Alexander Shonert, Russia/Czech Republic; Yair Dalal, Israel; Alan Hetherington, Anwar Khurshid, Ravi Naimpally, Zita Petrak, Canada) in Czech and Moravian synagogues. Version 1 - release June 1, 2012. Version 2 - November 3, 2012.