Voice of the Turtle is a musical group specializing in Sephardic music. VotT is unique in its emphasis on doing original historical research before making recordings. The band members travel the world looking for documents of Sephardic songs, and also interview community members who may remember particular musical arrangements. Their work is of both musical and historical import. An article in Rootsworld says,
"Based in Boston, Voice of the Turtle is one of the best-known groups performing Sephardic music in America. Theirs is an unusual marriage of artists who see the power of music more than just a presentation to a concert audience. 'We are all galvanized by the idea that it is critically important to preserve oral traditions in any culture. It's not so much about preserving Sephardic music but encouraging people to look at their own culture. Take from the people around you the treasures that are often missed. Learn to value the treasures that the elders have brought with them,' says Wachs."
The group members are:
- Derek Burrows
- Lisle Kulbach
- Jay Rosenberg
- Judith Wachs
- Ian Pomerantz (Starting 2011)
Wachs died in October 2008. A memorial concert was held at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA on October 19, 2009. After a several year hiatus, Voice of the Turtle original members Lisle Kulbach and Jay Rosenberg have reformed the group with the addition of Sephardic singer and instrumentalist Ian Pomerantz. The group continues to perform their signature arrangements of traditional Sephardic songs.
Read more about Voice Of The Turtle: History and Recordings, Languages and Instruments
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—Alexander Solzhenitsyn (b. 1918)
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