Eileen Wingard

Eileen Wingard

Eileen Wingard, a retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony, is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts.

Jewish folk music for Yom Zikaron, Yom Ha’atzma’ut

In commemoration of Israel’s Yom Hazikaron (Day of Remembrance) and Yom Ha’atzma’ut (Independence Day), I have selected my sister Zina Schiff’s recording, The Golden Dove.  Although the recording features composers of Russia’s Society for Jewish Folk Music, five of the composers on the recording — Engel, Weinberg, Rosowsky, Saminsky, and Achron — spent time in Palestine and influenced the early music of the pre-state Yishuv (Jewish settlement in Palestine). [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

San Diego Symphony hopeful for 2020-2021 season

As a San Diego Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) subscriber, I received in the mail a beautiful, shiny brochure, optimistically advertising the concerts scheduled for the orchestra’s 2020-2021 Season. With Raphael Payare, our city’s dynamic new conductor at the helm for his second season, and a wonderful lineup of concerts, we all hope it happens. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

We may not have concerts, but we have CDs to review

Since reviewing live music concerts is not possible during these days of isolation, I will be writing weekly columns about some of my favorite CD recordings by people whom I know, and include examples of audio selections from their discs.  First, I plan to write about the 16 CDs featuring my younger sister, concert violinist Zina Schiff. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Awe struck by 13-year-old Israeli cellist

I felt blessed to experience the extra-ordinary talent of the young Israeli cellist, Nahar Eliaz last Saturday evening in the sanctuary of Congregation Beth Am. Her’s was meaningful music-making of the highest order, music that touched the heart and replenished the soul. There was no awareness of technique. Every pitch was perfectly in tune, every dynamic, judiciously observed, every phrase, fluently expressed with natural ease. But it was more. The music had excitement, passion, and beauty. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Works of Holocaust poets performed at LFJCC

“That was the last butterfly. Butterflies don’t live in the Ghetto” wrote Pavel Friedmann in Terezin, before he was deported to Auschwitz, where he perished in 1944. Myla Wingard opened the March 3 program in the Astor Judaic Library, Poets of the Holocaust, with an inspiring musical rendition of that iconic poem. “Never say that you are going your last way.” Those words, penned by Hirsh Glik, became the anthem of the Jewish Partisans. The Ohr Shalom Choir was joined by the audience in singing that song of defiance and hope to conclude the program in which fifteen poets were represented. [Eileen Wingard]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, International, Jewish History, San Diego County

13-year-old cello virtuoso to perform in San Diego

SAN DIEGO — Fresh from winning gold medals in two major international music competitions, the 13-year-old Israeli cellist, Nahar Eliaz, will be coming to San Diego for a recital Saturday evening, March 7, 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Beth Am, 5050 Del Mar Heights Rd., San Diego, CA, 92130. The prodigious young talent received the grand prize in the London virtuoso competition which will lead to a performance at the Elgar Room at the Royal Albert Hall in London on April 14 of this year.  She also received two top prizes earlier this month from the Vienna Music Competition. In this contest, Nahar garnered the gold medal in the Strings-Young Artist division, and the Beethoven Centenary Award for the most outstanding performance of a work by the great composer.  Beethoven’s 250th birthday is being celebrated throughout the world. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Poetry of Holocaust victims set for March 3

The words of poets, some murdered during the Holocaust, some who survived, will be presented by Jewish Poets— Jewish Voices Tuesday, March 3, 7 p.m. in the Astor Judaica Library of the Lawrence Family JCC. The program, Jewish Poets of the Holocaust, will feature seventeen poems, read first in their English translations, then in their original language. In addition, the 23-voice Ohr Shalom Choir, under the direction of Elisheva Edelson, will sing several Yiddish selections, Farvos Iz Der Himl? (Why Is The Sky?), with Bernardo Bicas, solo, Ghetto, with Elisheva Edelson, solo, Yisrolik with Elisheva Edelson, solo and the Partisan Song. Myla Wingard will open the program with the song, The Butterfly. [Eileen Wingard]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, San Diego County

Poems of Gist, Fisher, and Guadarrama

The three local Jewish poets, Jan Gist, Lorraine Fisher and Yoel Guadarrama, attracted a large attendance to the January 21 Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices evening at the Astor Judaica Library at the Lawrence Fmaily JCC.  Among the audience were many poets who shared their works during the open mic segment, creating one of the most interesting and diverse programs in the series. [Eileen Wingard]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, San Diego County

Former child prodigy returns to TICO as soloist

Violinist Anat Almani concluded the recent January 28 TICO concert with an impressive performance of the Tchaikowsky Violin Concerto. Her solid technique brought a beautiful patina to the high passages in the first movement; the second movement was a study of muted sweetness; and the final movement lunged forward with unbridled energy. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Conductor Yoav Talmi a classical composer

As Yoav Talmi continues to receive accolades for his guest conducting throughout the world and his inspiring teaching at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Tel Aviv University, the internationally acclaimed maestro is also garnering increased recognition as a world class composer. His recent CD, Yoav Talmi COMPOSITIONS, released by the Israel Music Institute and produced with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sport, contains three of his large compositions, De Profundis, a four movement work for mixed choir and orchestra; Animi Motus, a four movement work for orchestra with children’s or women’s choir; and Elegy for strings, timpani and accordion (Dachau Reflections). [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Wosner, Thayer, Zhao shine in Beethoven’s Piano Trio

The Israeli pianist, Shai Wosner, shone in Beethoven’s Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 1, No. 3, as he collaborated with violinist, Jeff Thayer, concertmaster of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and Yao Zhao, the orchestra’s principal cellist. The concert, part of the San Diego Symphony’s celebration of Beethoven’s 250 anniversary of his birthday, featured three of the composer’s early works. It took place on Tuesday evening, January 14, at the new Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center on Fay Street in La Jolla. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Jewish poets reflect on their parents

Lorraine Fisher, Jan Gist, and Joel Guadarrama will be the three local writers featured at the second evening of the current series of Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices.  The free program will take place in the Astor Judaica Library, Lawrence Family JCC at 7 p.m.,  Tuesday, January 21. The first of the series, last December 17, featured poets Lucy Lehman, Adam Greenfield and Anna Abraham Gasaway. Their poetry was spellbinding. Below are samples of their talent. [Eileen Wingard]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, San Diego County