Kantes de las Yjas / Song of the Daughters

Date:

Wednesday, June 03, 2026

Venue:

St Pancras Old Church

Location:

London, England, United Kingdom

Notes:

'J[ewish] M[usic] I[nstitute] is proud to present a beautiful and evocative evening of new music, marking the culmination of a year‑long collaboration between composers and vocalists Ana Silvera, Lydia Samuels and Tomer Damsky (for this performance Tomer will be replaced by Greek mezzo-soprano Alexandra Achillea).

Developed through a residency at Britten Pears Arts and an initial sharing at Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh, the project draws on medieval Iberian texts and rare musical sources. It explores the deep musical and cultural connections between Judeo‑Spanish (Ladino), Sephardic, Arabic and Ibero‑Christian traditions, reimagined through a contemporary lens.

Blending voices and instruments in richly textured arrangements, the music reaches back five centuries to re‑embody songs and texts once carried by women, and shaped by oral transmission, place and memory. In bringing these sounds into the present, the project opens new perspectives on songmaking, heritage and creative exchange.

The performance features special guests Syrian oud virtuoso Nawras Altaky and soprano Kate Huggett (HOWL vocal ensemble, Shards Voices), offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience this extraordinary cross‑cultural collaboration live. Joining the ensemble for this performance is Greek mezzo-soprano Alexandra Achillea, stepping in for Tomer Damsky. A versatile artist whose work spans opera, folk traditions and contemporary music, Alexandra has appeared at the BBC Proms, the Barbican and leading venues across Europe, bringing a distinctive voice shaped by both classical training and Balkan musical heritage.'

Pop and Girl Group.