Preserving the Sephardic Story of Monastir through Music and Dialogue
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I am thrilled to announce that the official release date has been set for June 25th, 2021. One month from today! I am so excited and proud for this project to be released into the world. To get you excited, too, please see attached the gorgeous liner notes, where you can read about the background of the individual songs- each one has a story that connects it to Monastir. Monastir Digital Album Notes.pdf3.23 MB
As we ramp up the pre-release publicity, please be in touch if you have a media contact that might be interested in this project- I can send out an official electronic press kit.
In the meantime, if you selected a reward for your support, those will be fulfilled during the first two weeks of June. Please be on the lookout!
Thank you again to everyone who has helped this project reach this point.
With so much gratitude, Sarah
The Monastir Project - Recording Complete!
Dear supporters,
I am so proud to announce that the recording for Phase 1 of The Monastir Project is officially complete!! This week we will send the final tracks to get mastered, which, after a year of recording during a pandemic, feels like a huge accomplishment. To give you a sense, here is a collage of over 30 artists from Macedonia, Israel, Spain, Germany and the USA who have contributed to this album - it is truly an international collaboration to celebrate the rich Jewish life of the beloved community of Monastir. We cannot wait to share the music with you! Stay tuned for release announcements coming very soon... Artist Collage.png3 MB
Yours, Sarah
Approaching the Finish Line
Dear supporters,
The finish line for Phase 1 is near!! This week we started tracking the final song of the project, and it's one of the songs I'm most proud of. I composed it from Ladino lyrics discovered in Monastir dating back to 1562 (!!!!). Every song on the project has a story, and this one is no exception. I chose Sephardic Israeli flamenco singer, Yehuda Shuky Shveiky, pictured here, to sing it. I can't wait to share his talents with you, and for you all to hear this unique song!
I wanted to share with you that I'll be premiering a song from the project on November 22nd! I'm hosting a Zoom event, with special guests who are at the forefront of Jewish cultural preservation efforts in Macedonia today. Featured will be Israeli Ambassador to N. Macedonia, Dan Oryan, Rachel Shelley Levy Drummer, President of the NGO for Bitola/Monastir Jewish Heritage, Maja Susha, a Macedonian Holocaust expert, and more. There will be ample opportunity for Q & A.
Thank you for your continued support of this work!
With gratitude, Sarah Aroeste
The Monastir Project- On Track!
Dear supporters,
What an exciting summer it's been for The Monastir Project, even with all its challenges. Part of my summer has been spent building out a new home studio, which has allowed me to continue working on the project, despite being far away from the other musicians involved. I am happy to report that we've now successfully recorded 8 out of 10 songs, and have already worked with over 20 musicians from Macedonia and Israel! We're hoping to complete the final two songs by the end of October and then move the project towards the editing and mixing stages. There is still a lot to be done! But in the meantime, I am continually inspired by the musicians, volunteers, activists and contributors (like you!) who are helping to propel this project forward. Here's a special highlight from one of our sessions in the last few weeks. The great Israeli superstar, Yehoram Gaon, is one of our participants and you can watch a clip from our recording with him (the Monastirli version of the Ladino classic, Yo La Keria) in Israel earlier in August. We can't wait to update you with more surprises soon!
All best, Sarah
The Monastir Project - A Successful Launch!
Dear supporters,
I wanted to update you on the progress of The Monastir Project. While the COVID-19 outbreak has slowed our efforts, I am happy to report that I was able to go to Macedonia at the start of March to begin the recording process. The trip was different than planned, but it was very successful nonetheless.
My Israeli music partner, Shai Bachar, and I started off in Skopje recording 18-year old Helena Susha, one of the last remaining Jews in Macedonia. Not only is she a treasure of the community there, her accomplished operatic voice will astound you! IMG_5530.jpg1.18 MB
We then went on to Bitola, where smiles were felt for days after recording kindergarten children singing the theme song from their school- a thank you to a Macedonian Jewish partisan in WWII for whom their school is named! IMG_5659.jpg2.41 MB
Then we recorded Sefedin Bajramov and Vevki Amadov, two beloved Macedonian musicians (a singer and clarinetist, respectively) who have beautiful connections to the region’s Jewish history and whose stories we'll roll out soon!
It was a wonderful week of music making and diplomacy building. I met and worked with musicians, citizens, and government officials to foster excitement for and commitments to this important cultural dialogue.
So even though the my trip was cut short by the virus, I managed to make the most of my time there.
The second half of the project, recording in Israel, is still on track, albeit on a delayed schedule as I am not able to travel there for the time being. But we are working hard behind the scenes and getting music and musicians ready for when we’re able to get back in the studio.
The project is proceeding, and we feel so lucky that music is uniting all of the participants during this difficult time. We hope you find inspiration in this news as much as we do.
With healthy and best wishes, Sarah Aroeste www.saraharoeste.com
Background:
After 18 years bringing the Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) music of my family to audiences around the globe, I am now setting upon my most personal project yet!
BitolaPerformance2017.jpg 107.57 KB In 2017 I was invited to sing in Bitola, Macedonia (formerly known as Monastir), the birthplace of my grandfather, and home to a once thriving Sephardic Jewish population. Sadly, after WWII, no Jewish life remained in the city. Much of my own family perished (of those who stayed behind, only my grandfather's cousin Rachel, second from left, survived).
I want to return that love by recording an album of Macedonian Jewish music. Project Image Square.png 442.26 KB I have spent months researching music in the archives at the National Library of Israel, and working with friends on the ground in Bitola to find songs that are unique to Jewish Monastir. Some of the songs are in Macedonian and reference Jewish life from long ago, and others are traditional Ladino songs, some of which have never been recorded in song form before.
But wait, there's more!
Through friendships and contacts I have cultivated in Bitola, and with my longtime music producer Shai Bachar who resides in Israel, the project will be a joint effort between myself, Israeli and Macedonian musicians. Half of the album will be recorded in Israel and the other half in Macedonia.
This will truly be an international effort. But it is the largest project I have launched in my career—spanning 3 countries and dozens of musicians! It will take about a year to complete. I have already mapped out most of the music, but we need to orchestrate and coordinate travel for musicians between Israel and Macedonia. We plan to work with a children’s school in Bitola and a choir in Skopje, as well as with beloved musicians in greater Macedonia and Israel. On a shoestring budget the project will cost approximately $50,000, which includes recording and production, travel between countries with several musicians, documentation, and more. (I am happy to share with you our complete estimated budget if you would like). When we’re done, we’ll have a unique musical homage to Jewish Monastir, and musicians across borders who will come together to present the music at various international music festivals (phase 2 of the project!). A portion of proceeds from music sales and concerts will go back to the many wonderful volunteer projects happening in Bitola to preserve Jewish history there (phase 3).
The Ask
I’m applying for grants and support from foundations, but I need to raise the bulk of the money from patrons like you. None of this money goes towards me, it all goes towards the many people in different countries who are contributing to this joint effort.
Our immediate need is to raise enough money by the start of the new year to ensure that we can bring over a small group of Israeli musicians to Bitola in March to start the recording process. March 11th marks the anniversary of the deportation of the Macedonian Jewish community during WWII, and is always a time for international delegations to gather and remember. We need to be a part of that gathering so that we can document and record some of the participants who are essential to our project. I am asking you today to consider making a donation to ensure that we can take advantage of this timing and be in Macedonia during March 2020. I have set a deadline of January 15th to raise as close to $40,000 as possible to ensure that the project can move forward starting in March. Your contribution now is essential to getting our project launched.
And some cool news? Your contributions are TAX-DEDUCTIBLE!
You can help support this international cultural dialogue, help keep the memory of Jewish Monastir alive, AND get a tax credit for doing so.
A win-win for all.
(And there are even some fun perks for getting involved - see to the right!)
I hope you’ll consider being part of this special project. No donation is too small.
Thank you for your contribution! You will get a shout-out on Facebook for your support.
Above + Digital Download
Donate $25.00 or more
Amount over $3.00 is tax-deductible.
Receive a FB shout-out, as well as a digital download of the project when it's ready.
Above + Postcard from Monastir
Donate $50.00 or more
Amount over $6.00 is tax-deductible.
Receive the above plus an actual postcard sent to you from Monastir when I go there to record in 2020.
Above + Limited Edition Signed CD
Donate $100.00 or more
Amount over $15.00 is tax-deductible.
Receive all of the above plus a signed edition of a limited run CD of the project.
Above + Ladino Rocks Tote Bag
Donate $250.00 or more
Amount over $25.00 is tax-deductible.
Receive all of the above plus a limited edition Ladino Rocks tote bag.
Above + Limited Art Print from Monastir
Donate $500.00 or more
Amount over $45.00 is tax-deductible.
Receive all of the above plus a limited art print from my favorite art store in Macedonia, Small Montmartre.
Above + Special Producer Credit
Donate $1,000.00 or more
Amount over $50.00 is tax-deductible.
Receive all of the above plus a special "Producer" credit and thanks in promotional materials.
Above + Private House Concert
Donate $2,500.00 or more
Amount over $100.00 is tax-deductible.
Receive all of the above plus a private house concert with me! (Travel beyond NY/Boston area not included).
Macedonia Tour!
Donate $5,000.00 or more
Amount over $500.00 is tax-deductible.
Enjoy a trip to Macedonia with me! Get a VIP tour of Jewish Macedonia with yours truly and experts on the ground. Join me behind the scenes as we record and document the Monastir Project! (Opportunities for travel include 3/20, 10/20, 3/21 - exact dates TBD). Travel/lodging not included.
