Flory Jagoda and Friends: The Altaras Ensemble (Monthly Program)

Flory Jagoda was born into a musical family in the Sephardic Jewish community in Sarajevo, Bosnia. When the Sephardic Jews were forced out of Spain in 1492, many settled in cities around the Mediterranean, taking their customs, language and music with them. Young Flory learned many of the old songs from her grandmother, a Sephardic folksinger. ?Most of her community was killed during World War II, but she escaped, making her way to Italy, where she met her future husband. As she says, ?I arrived in America as a war bride in 1946 with a suitcase full of memories ? good memories as well as some very ugly ones.? ?She began to pour those memories into songs ? songs remembered from her family, Balkan songs of her native region, and songs she composes and arranges in the Ladino language of her ancestors, a kind of 15th-century Spanish. ?She is a leader in the revival of the old language, and many of her songs are performed around the world. She has released four recordings, reflecting ?the four musical stages in my life.? ?In 2002, she received the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, in recognition of her lifetime as ?an important carrier of a unique musical heritage.? Flory has passed her music to her children, many students, and to an apprentice, Susan Gaeta, who joins her for this concert. ?Also performing in the Altaras Ensemble are Larry Robinson, Alan Oresky, Joanne Stefanick, Margie Jervis and Lynn Falk.Admission is free for Folklore Society members (but donations encouraged to help us afford these more interesting programs). ?General admission $20, $10 for students to age 22. Discount for Tifereth Israel members (TI members should consult their mail or e-mails.)Tifereth Israel is at 16th and Juniper Sts., NW, a couple of blocks south of Washington Ethical Society. PLEASE USE THE JUNIPER STREET ENTRANCE for this event.