Join us for Herdeljezi Festival, Voice of Roma’s annual springtime celebration of Romani music, dance and culture. Featuring daytime workshops, the festival culminates in an evening concert and dance party. Please note that Dzambo Agusevi, our headliner, had to cancel due to a family health emergency. Fortunately, we already have a full and exciting line-up with the addition of Fanfare Zambaleta.
Voice of Roma Herdeljezi Romani Festival
Saturday, May 3, Ashkenaz Music & Dance Community Center
1317 San Pablo Ave. Berkeley, CA
Fanfare Zambaleta
Stevens Family “Gypsy Boys”
Šaban Forever
Rumen Sali Shopov & Balkan Ensemble Meraklii
7:30 pm-midnight: Ticketed concert program
6:30 pm: Dance workshop
5:30 pm: Panel discussion
1- 4:30 pm: Ticketed workshops
Evening Concert Tickets: $30 presale, $35 at door; Students: $25 presale, $30 at door,
Workshop registration (cost per session): $20 presale, $25 at door
Students: $15 presale, $20 at door
A free panel discussion with the artists covers the human rights of Roma communities amidst shifting political climates. Afternoon workshops for brass musicians, percussionists, dancers and singers are offered to festival goers, also at Ashkenaz.
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Full Schedule:
Afternoon Workshops:
1:00-2:15 pm: Drum workshop with Rumen Sali Shopov
2:30-3:45 PM: Singing workshop with Carol Silverman and Sani Rifati
4:00-5:15 pm: Brass workshop with Benji Rifati and Evan Stuart
Evening Program:
5:30 pm: Free Panel Discussion with artists and Voice of Roma representatives
6:30 pm: Free Dance workshop with Šani Rifati
7:30 pm: Balkan Ensemble Meraklii with Rumen Sali Shopov
8:30 pm: Šaban Forever with Šani Rifati, Peter Stan, Dušan Ristić, Marco Ghezzo and Arcush
9:30 pm: Stevens Family “Gypsy Boys”
10:30 pm-midnight: Fanfare Zambaleta
Contact festival production manager Peter Bonos,
cGV0ZXJib25vcyB8IGdtYWlsICEgY29t for further information, including volunteer opportunities. Copresented by Berkeley Balkan Bacchanal and Ashkenaz. Funded by ACTA. Graphic design by Jenette Selin.
Fanfare Zambaleta (roughly meaning crazy street party with brass) is an nine-piece Balkan Brass band specializing in spirited music of the Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Greek and especially the Romani people. Featuring special guest Benji Rifati, the band is led by saxophonist Greg Jenkins. Combining a love of the classic brass bands of the past with the modern sounds coming out of the Balkans, Fanfare Zambaleta brings an irresistible blend of old and new to get you dancing! They've learned from some of the greats including Demiran Ćerimović, Džambo Aguševi Orkestar and Nizo Alimov (of Kočani Orkestar) and are now embarking on a new journey to write original tunes inspired by their deep love of the music.
Stevens Family “Gypsy Boys” is a third generation Kalderash family band composed of George, virtuoso on guitar, and Paul on accordion. They perform throughout California, the Northwest, Nevada, New York and Florida for Romani weddings, baptisms, and calendrical celebrations. The group formed in the 1980’s when grandfather Vine, a renowned mandolinist and leader of the Los Angeles Romani community recruited his grandchildren. Learning in the oral tradition, they blend styles from Manush Jazz to Serbian, Greek, and Russian music. George is also a co-founder, frontman, and songwriter for the Seattle based Rumba Kings.
Songs of Šaban Bajramović features Sani Rifati on vocals performing the repertoire of the legendary Serbian singer who wrote hundreds of songs. He is joined by Banat Romanian/Serbian/American accordion player Peter Stan and Italian violinist Marco Ghezzo (and his group Arcush), who studied for many years with Roma in Csavas, Transylvania. Dusan Ristic on violin hails from a distinguished Serbian Romani family from Valjevo and emigrated to California in 2003. He founded the Amala Romani Music School and is also a visual artist who exhibited at the Venice Bienalle Romani Pavillion.
Sani Rifati, founder and president of Voice of Roma, is a producer, tour manager, dance instructor, and veteran Romani activist. Born in 1962 in Kosovo in a traditional and vibrant Romani neighborhood, he emigrated to the US in 1993 and now lives in Berlin. He has worked to produce VOR’s annual festivals for over 25 years and has tirelessly educated the public about the richness of Romani folk arts. Rifati has also taught numerous Romani dance workshops, given lectures throughout the US and Europe, and organized summer seminars in Romani music and dance.
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