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Thank you for being such
positive role models in
an ethnically divided
world looking for cultural
identity. We can appreciate
that it is through the arts
that we are able to find
similarities rather than
differences among the
women of the world.
----Ukrainian Women’s
League of America,
Philadelphia Region
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Philadelphia City Paper:
It Takes a
Village
by Mary Armstrong
Pure,
unaccompanied voices rising and
resounding as one. It's angelic |
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Ukrainian National Women's League of
America, Philadelphia Region
Stupendous! |
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Sarah Moyn, Philadelphia Museum of
Art
Extremely well received...unusual, moving, and connected
well with our diverse audience. |
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Marjan
Ornik,
Libra Radio,
Slovenia
Human vocals with its inevitable emotional component is
the most perfect instrument one can imagine. Eastern
European singing style has a beautiful colouration,
ornamentation, rhythm changes and song structures, such as
unison, melody and drone, parallel harmony and polyphony.
All this is extremely hard to put together into a form of
perfection. When it is done, it becomes exceptionally
seductive. That's why I see "Svitanya" as a rare jewel.
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Mary
Sherhart, Balkan singing specialist;
currently soloist with
Balkan Cabaret
Though it is obvious how much care and attention
Svitanya has poured into singing and recording these songs
[for First Light], they are also wonderfully
unselfconscious -- so very fluid and natural. It is obvious
how much they love to sing. There is real heart there,
unobscured by tension….lovely repertoire selection…huge
congratulations to the awesome low end...gorgeous
richness....
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Chuck Elliott, host
of “Sleepy
Hollow,”
WXPN radio
Combining flawless intonation and
inspired interpretation, Svitanya brings the traditional
vocal music of Eastern Europe to life. As an on-air radio
producer, I can attest that playing their music always
results in enthusiastic audience response. As a listener,
the greatest compliment I can give to a performer of World
Music is “the music takes me there.” The range of Svitanya’s
wonderful voices TAKES ME THERE.
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A beautiful CD...pure vocals in a very fine recording.
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Van Morgan, The Joe Hillman Band
What strikes me is the seemingly paradoxical delicacy
and resoluteness of the music, and how the sound bends
through the dissonances into harmony. The individual voices
are beautiful in the same strong-yet-fragile way, creating a
kind of translucence that shimmers as each one blends into
the others.
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Ret Turner,
Heritage Dance Festival
Program Committee
1995-2001
A word to the wise: Svitanya sings like a gathering of
angels. To attend a performance by them is a blessing. |
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Bill Wadlinger, Beaver Folk Dance Coordinator Svitanya gives us what Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares cannot: intimacy. Whether in concert, in recording, or in the middle of a circle of dancers, they make us feel like part of their musical family. |
