FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2021

Contact: Karin Venegas, karin@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-7049
              Sandra Tharas, sandra@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-7068

Flushing Town Hall’s Mini-Global Mashups Series to Continue with “Balkan Romani Meets Ukraine” Concert on October 10


— “Poised, lustrous” says The New York Times —

— A “radical achievement” says New York Music Daily—


Eva Salina & Peter Stan to collaborate with Zhenya Lopatnik in next mini mashup
photo credits: (L) courtesy of the artists; (R) Ahron Moeller

(Flushing, N.Y.)—Flushing Town Hall’s new concert series, Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups, will present “Balkan Romani Meets Ukraine” on Sunday, October 10, featuring Eva Salina, Peter Stan, and Zhenya Lopatnik.

Each concert in the monthly series features a unique pairing of musicians of different practices and cultural identities, who will first perform in separate sets and then “mash up” together in collaboration. The small, intimate configurations pair together distinct solo or duo artists to create entirely new sounds rooted in old traditions.

The series has been curated by acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London of The Klezmatics, who has himself performed in Flushing Town Hall’s original, large-scale Global Mashups series that is such a hit among Flushing Town Hall’s devoted global music fans.

“Some of our concerts in this series will pair artists whose musical traditions are closely related, while others match artists whose musical language and traditions are totally unrelated. This is intentional,” explains London. “Through each encounter, audiences get to watch artists solve a creative puzzle and discover common ground.”

In Balkan Romani Meets Ukraine, audiences will enjoy the music of Brooklyn-based Eva Salina, a groundbreaking interpreter of Balkan Romani songs, and her duo partner, accordionist Peter Stan. Together, Eva and Peter pick up the threads of Balkan Romani music’s interrupted legacy of empowered female voices, employing tenderness, grace, and friendship to keep these songs alive and evolving, tending to living traditions and sharing with new generations.

Audiences will also be treated to the music of singer, composer, and Jewish Educator Zhenya Lopatnik. Zhenya’s musical projects include the Ukraine-based ensemble Kharkov Klezmer Band with Yuriy Khainson, the Israeli-Uranian band Zapekanka, Ternovka - Old and new Yiddish ballads, and Tender Yiddish - playing music from Jewish lullabies to ghetto songs. Most impressive, Zhenya speaks five languages: English, Russian, Yiddish, Hebrew, and Ukrainian.

“We look forward to continuing our celebration of global music this October, and we are thrilled to continue welcoming artists and audiences back to our Hall,” says Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek.

This fall, Flushing Town Hall has increased its in-person audience capacity to 50% and is adhering to the city’s vaccine mandate for performance venues, while continuing to livestream for virtual audiences at home.

The Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups series kicked off last month with Haiti Meets Middle East on September 12, featuring Haitian singer Emeline Michel, Israeli guitarist Dan Nadel, and their piano accompanist Yayoi Ikaw. To view the final piece in their mashup collaboration, visit: https://youtu.be/E8EFH9Tizr0?t=4609

The series will continue next month with Yiddish Meets Argentina on November 21, featuring Lorin Sklamberg and Sofia Rei with accompanist JC Maillard, followed by US-Africa Meets China on December 12, featuring Newman Baker and Fei Fei Yang with accompanist Zhihua Hu.

Each month’s Mini-Global Mashup performance will be followed by a Q+A conversation between the artists and audience hosted by Frank London or other special guests.

For the series’ full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/mini-global-mashups
 


COVID Policy:
In adherence with Mayor De Blasio’s Covid policy for performance venues, Flushing Town Hall will require all visitors, performers, and staff to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 with matching identification. Additionally, masks will be required at all times. For more details on Flushing Town Hall’s Covid-safety measures and vaccine requirements, please visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety.

FOR CALENDAR LISTINGS:

SUN, OCT 10, 1 PM ET
Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashup #2 - Balkan Romani Meets Ukraine
GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/common-ground-mini-global-mashup-2
Common Ground features artists seemingly different in discipline, practices, or cultural identity who explore global connections, celebrating distinctions that make cultures unique. Our NEW series Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups are curated by acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London (The Klezmatics) bringing together two amazing global music artists along with accompanists for an afternoon of music, conversation and exploration. Post-show Q&A. California-grown, Brooklyn-based Eva Salina is a groundbreaking interpreter of Balkan Romani songs joined by her duo partner, accordionist Peter Stan. In their collaboration, Eva & Peter pick up the threads of an interrupted legacy of empowered female voices in Balkan Romani music. Seeking to amplify and celebrate voices of past generations of Romani women musicians, they employ tenderness, grace, and friendship in keeping these songs alive and evolving, while tending to living traditions and sharing with new generations. Zhenya Lopatnik speaks five languages, and uses this vast cultural knowledge to perform bold, meaningful music that combines American, Russian, Hebrew, and Ukrainian culture.
$15/$12 Members; Virtual: $7/$5 Members
This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.


SUN, NOV 21, 1 PM ET
Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashup #3 - Yiddish Meets Argentina
GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/common-ground-mini-global-mashup-3
Common Ground features artists seemingly different in discipline, practices, or cultural identity who explore global connections, celebrating distinctions that make cultures unique. Our NEW series Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups are curated by acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London (The Klezmatics) bringing together two amazing global music artists along with accompanists for an afternoon of music, conversation and exploration. Post-show Q&A. Lead Singer of the Grammy Award winning Klezmatics, Lorin Sklamberg’s Jewish and Yiddish roots influence his "transcendent" voice and musicality. Sofia Rei is an Argentinian vocalist and songwriter influenced by South American folk styles, jazz, pop, new classical and electronic music. This concert is accompanied by Caribbean born multi-instrumentalist JC Maillard.
$15/$12 Members; Virtual: $7/$5 Members
This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.


SUN, DEC 12, 1 PM ET
Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashup #4 – US-Africa Meets China
GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/common-ground-mini-global-mashup-4
Common Ground features artists seemingly different in discipline, practices, or cultural identity who explore global connections, celebrating distinctions that make cultures unique. Our NEW series Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups are curated by acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London (The Klezmatics) bringing together two amazing global music artists along with accompanists for an afternoon of music, conversation and exploration. Post-show Q&A. Newman Taylor Baker/WashboardXT is a jazz drummer and washboard player whose music has brought him to over 45 countries, and who proudly researches and celebrates his African-American Heritage. Feifei Yang is a Chinese musician and singer specializing in Erhu and Banhu performance, who has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and more! This concert is accompanied by NYC-based pianist and composer, Zhihua Hu.
$15/$12 Members; Virtual: $7/$5 Members
This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
 


Support Flushing Town Hall this season!
Flushing Town Hall recently launched its new membership program, Flushing Town Hall’s Circle of Friends, with memberships starting at gifts of $50 or more. With the loss of nearly all earned income, Flushing Town Hall is in dire need of support and is currently raising funds under its Lemon-AID the Arts Campaign. Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.
 


Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization that receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the  Governor and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Major Bill de Blasio; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Gonzalo Casals; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Corey Johnson; Council Members Costa Constantanides, Daniel Dromm, Barry Grodenchik, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, Paul A. Vallone, Jimmy Van Bramer; Howard Gilman Foundation, Booth Ferris Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.

To view our current donor lists, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/donor-listings

About Flushing Town Hall
Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City, in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

Land Acknowledgement:
Flushing Town Hall acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Matinecock People, one of the original tribes of New York, and the first people of Flushing, Queens. The Matinecock continue to live and work on this land to this day. Flushing Town Hall honors their elders who have stewarded this land throughout generations.

For more information:
www.flushingtownhall.org
(718) 463-7700 x222
137-35 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354