Eileen Wingard

Eileen Wingard

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

Program Fuses New and Old Music, Creativity, Meaningful Connection to Chanukah

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — The Litvak Dancers’ LIGHT and Yale Strom’s Broken Consort program served as a memorable opening for the eight nights of Chanukah. Performed on the first night of the holiday for an appreciative audience in the Lawrence Family JCC’s Garfield Auditorium, the two-part program was presented by the Center […]

Program Fuses New and Old Music, Creativity, Meaningful Connection to Chanukah Read More »

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

A Brazilian-born San Diegan’s Chanukah Song

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — Brazilian-born singer Carla Berg’s original Chanukah song, “Nes” (Miracle), with lyrics in Ladino, is available as a video clip on YouTube and on other digital platforms. It was produced by Allan Phillips at APMStudio in San Diego and was released last year. It is a welcome addition to

A Brazilian-born San Diegan’s Chanukah Song Read More »

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

‘Light’ and ‘Hot Pstromi’ Served on 1st Night of Hanukkah at Lawrence Family JCC

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — The first night of Hanukkah, December 18, at 7 p.m., the Festival of Lights will be celebrated at the Garfield Theatre, Lawrence Family JCC by a performance of “Light,” by the LITVAKdancers, to original music composed by Yale Strom. He and his band, Hot Pstromi, will be accompanying

‘Light’ and ‘Hot Pstromi’ Served on 1st Night of Hanukkah at Lawrence Family JCC Read More »

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

Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra Successfully Tackles Tchaikowsky

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — It was pretty remarkable that Tchaikowsky’s monumental Symphony #4, with its opening horn fanfare of Fate and its finale, often taken at break-neck speed, was successfully tackled by TICO, the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra. Sure, there were a few places that barely held together, but the beautiful solo

Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra Successfully Tackles Tchaikowsky Read More »

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

Local Performances Spotlight Holocaust-Era Composers

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — Canadian-born pianist, Daniel Wnukowski, performed at two venues during his recent visit to San Diego County. On Sunday afternoon, November 13, he gave a recital of works by Mozart, Chopin and Schumann in the Solana Salons series at the home of pianist and series host, Monique Kunewalder. His

Local Performances Spotlight Holocaust-Era Composers Read More »

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

Returning In-Person, Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices Features Poem on Lviv and More

By Eileen Wingard   LA JOLLA, California — The first in-person program of Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices in two years took place in the Astor Judaica Library Tuesday evening, October 25, and featured three Southern California poets, Nathan Grinshpun, Jane Muschenetz, and Omer Zalmanowitz. Moderator Joy Heitzmann introduced them. First to read was Nathan Grinshpun. Although

Returning In-Person, Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices Features Poem on Lviv and More Read More »

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

Jewish Poets/ Jewish Voices’ New Season Begins Oct. 25

The opening Jewish Poets–Jewish Voices program of the 2022-23 season will feature three local poets who immigrated to San Diego from other countries. The Tuesday, October 25, 7:00 p.m. gathering will take place in person in the Astor Judaica Library and feature Ukrainian native Jane Muschenetz, Uzbekistan-born Nathan Grinshpun,  and Tel Avivian, Omer Zalmanowitz. [Eileen Wingard]

Jewish Poets/ Jewish Voices’ New Season Begins Oct. 25 Read More »

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

Arab-Jewish Musician Releases CD Exploring His Heritages

Yoni Avi Battat’s debut album, Fragments, explores his Arab-Jewish identity through nine selections. He composed the music for seven of them, delving into the Arabic melodies of his grandparent’s native Iraq for inspiration and including native instruments such as the oud (Arabic lute), qanun (chordaphone with many strings), nay (reed flute), riq (tambourine), frame drum, karakeb (large iron castenets), darbuka (goblet shaped drum) and joza (coconut shell fiddle held on knee). [Eileen Wingard]

Arab-Jewish Musician Releases CD Exploring His Heritages Read More »

Eileen Wingard, Israel, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Bringing to Life, Through the Arts, the Victims of the Holocaust

By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — We Are the Tree of Life (WATTOL) founder and director, Jackie Gmach, is adept at recognizing talent and recruiting them to participate in her initiative. In Israeli-born dancer and circus performer, Tammuz Dubnov, Gmach struck gold. Dubnov is not only young, handsome and talented, but he is committed to

Bringing to Life, Through the Arts, the Victims of the Holocaust Read More »

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

‘Something in Preserve,’ a Musical about Seniors’ Lives, Wins Plaudits

Most of the production was comedic, poking fun at the challenges of seniority, with no holds barred, from prescription drugs to diapers. There were romances, one unrequited, facing the problems of a demented spouse; and one with a happy ending. [Eileen Wingard]

‘Something in Preserve,’ a Musical about Seniors’ Lives, Wins Plaudits Read More »

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

After a century, Gernsheim’s music makes a comeback

Composer, conductor, pianist and teacher, Friedrich Gernsheim, (1839-1916), is little known today. Yet, during his lifetime, he was spoken of in the same breath as Brahms, Bruch and Reger. In fact, his works were published by the same publishers who published their compositions. [Eileen Wingard]

After a century, Gernsheim’s music makes a comeback Read More »

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

Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices Committee Member Wins Prestigious Prize

By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — We are thrilled to announce that Michael Mark, a member of our Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices Committee, just won the prestigious Rattle Chapbook Prize for his chapbook, Visiting Her in Queens Is More Enlightening than a Month in a Monastery in Tibet. The poems are all inspired by his mother,

Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices Committee Member Wins Prestigious Prize Read More »

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

Playwright Myla Lichtman-Fields Scoring in Los Angeles & London

The prolific San Diego County playwright, Myla Lichtman-Fields, will be traveling to Los Angeles next month, and then to London, England in November to see performances of two of her 16 published plays that have gone global through lulu.com. [Eileen Wingard]

Playwright Myla Lichtman-Fields Scoring in Los Angeles & London Read More »

California, Eileen Wingard, International, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Love Stories Reenacted at the Hive

The staged reading of A Play for Tu B’Av, presented at the Hive at Leichtag Commons, Sunday evening, August 14, proved to be a delightful theatrical journey into six variants of love between two people. Five of the couples were from the San Diego Jewish Community and those of us familiar with the community were able to identify them, even though, in Ali Viterbi’s play, they remained nameless. The story of the sixth couple, whose love story wove seamlessly among the other tales, was based on the Biblical account of Jacob and Rachel.  [Eileen Wingard]

Love Stories Reenacted at the Hive Read More »

Eileen Wingard, Theatre, Film & Broadcast