Romanian-born singer Sanda Weigl, internationally celebrated for her potent, contemporary interpretation of Romanian gypsy music, will embark on her first U.S. tour this fall.

The first concert is scheduled at MIT’s Wong Auditorium/Tang Center (Cambridge, MA) on October 14, 2008, and is organized in collaboration with the Romanian Student Association at MIT. Other stops are Chicago’s Morse Theatre and The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (in collaboration with the Romanian Student Club at UIUC).

Her ensemble will include Shoko Nagai - Piano, Accordion, Arrangements; Stomu Takeishi - Bass (Oct 14); Kermit Driscoll, Bass (Oct 24 & Nov); and Satoshi Takeishi - Percussion.

Harvard University will also hold a 'Learning from Performers' event featuring Sanda Weigl, to take place on WED, October 15, at the Eliot House Library. Accompanied by Shoko Nagai, Sanda Weigl will perform a few songs and speak about her musical career, about Gypsy music and culture, and answer questions from the audience. The event is sponsored by the Harvard Office of the Arts, through the Learning from Performers series, and is organized in collaboration with Harvard Romanian Association.


What the press are saying

Listen to the NPR's Weekend Edition with Scott Simon featuring Sanda Weigl (October 11)

Listen to the podcast of her recent interview with Rob Weisberg on WNYC

“... [Sanda Weigl] has kept New Yorkers enthralled with a steady stream of the Romanian Gypsy songs that she learned on the streets of Bucharest in her youth.” The New Yorker, May 2008

“To call Sanda’s voice ‘powerful’ would be an understatement…Her interpretations are dramatic, even theatrical, but never ‘over the top’... If you’re a fan of vocal ethnic music of any sort, that’s something you don’t want to miss.” Bill Tilland, BBC 

The Romanian Cultural Institute’s Director Corina Suteu says, “We are so excited to be promoting these world-music events with Sanda. It is not only Sanda's superb new reading of traditional songs that is altogether unexpected; it’s the intriguing encounter between her and her musicians’ different musical traditions. What results for a Romanian is a feeling you’re listening for the first time; Romanians and non-Romanians alike will be astonished by how well the musicians managed to capture and communicate the essence of each song so well.”


Learn more about Sanda Weigl here or visit her website.

Sanda’s concert trio is a reflection of her innovative ideas. Her frequent percussionist, Satoshi Takeishi, has explored improvisational, electronic and multi-cultural sounds in South America, the Middle East and the U.S. Some of Satoshi ‘s collaborations include: Ray Barretto, Francisco Zumaque, Eliane Elias, Randy Brecker, Mark Murphy, Erik Friedlander , Toshiko Akiyoshi Big Band, and Joe Zeytoonian. Takeishi collaborator, Pianist Shoko Nagai, has worked with John Zorn, Rasheid Ali, Butch Morris, Cuong Vu, Matana Roberts, Ikue Mori, and Miho Hatori to name only a few. She is a also a film composer and improvisational artist. Stomu Takeishi has been the bassist for many adventurous composer/improvisers including Henry Threadgill, Paul Motian,and David Tronzo. Bassist Kermit Driscoll has recorded and performed with many renowned artists including: Bill Frisell, Patti Austin, Chet Baker, John Cale, The New York Philharmonic under Kurt Masur, Buddy Rich, Toots Thielmans, and Mel Torme.

Listen also to Sanda Weigl's music samples:
Lume, lume
Pîna cînd nu te iubeam
Ciuleandra


[Image: Sanda Weigl in concert, photo by Lucien Samaha]

More on the tour featuring in the US media available in the Press Dossier