Meet Thalamus, a vocal quartet who focuses on music from the Renaissance and modern Israeli music. You may have heard them in Israel’s concert halls, at festivals in the Galilee or in Abu Gosh, or on the radio. On Thursday, June 6, you’ll be able to hear them at the Open University’s Chais Auditorium, singing an unusual assortment of classical and contemporary music that’s sure to pique the interest of any music aficionado.
The singers of the Thalamus Quartet are all graduates of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, where their studies focused not only on singing but also on conducting. The ensemble was formed out of their love of singing – singing together as friends, at home, with no instruments, no stage and no audience. Luckily for us, they did start performing together, and can be heard in many of Israel’s music venues across the country.
What’s on the menu? Thalamus’ repertoire spans multiple traditions and genres, all sung a-cappella. They’ll take you on a world tour of music, beginning with French madrigals from almost five centuries ago and up to the Jazz Age of Gershwin and Porter. The program alternates between secular songs such as “Il Est Bel et Bon” (Passereau) and “Fine Knacks for Ladies” (Dowland), religious works such as Gounod’s and Byrd’s “Ave Verum Corpus”, and Israeli classics by Naomi Shemer and Achinoam Nini.
The concert will take place on Thursday, June 6 at 20:30 at the Chais Auditorium on the Open University campus (1 University Road, Ra’anana). Purchase tickets by phone at 1-700-700-169 or at the entrance to the auditorium on the evening of the concert. The brochure for the concert (in Hebrew) may be viewed here.
Links: Thalamus Quartet website, facebook page.
