In response to the continuing surge of gender-based violence, artists, community groups, food producers and arts associations have joined forces to create the Solidari-Tea Concert to take place this Saturday November 30 at tea time 4:00pm to 6:00 pm at Kington's Next Church (web link).

Designed both to call attention to the problem of gender-based violence and to provide some sustenance for those affected and/or working in the sector, the organizers promise a varied program with music to delight as well as provoke. "In the same week, I read about Gisèle Pelicot facing down 51 of her 74 rapists in court, the femicide of Parisian Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei, the Ugandan runner who was murdered by her intimate partner, the growing numbers of children on the femicide lists, and the latest edicts from the Taliban forbidding a woman to sing. To sing! That's when I knew we had to sing in a concert in response."

The Solidari-Tea Concert features Aruna & the Sirens, headed up by local musician Aruna Antonella Handa as well as Queen's University's oldest and only all female vocal ensemble, the Caledonias. Holly Crowson, Executive Director of the ensemble, said, "The Caledonias performed with Aruna in March for International Women's Day week, and we found the experience to be incredibly impactful on us as a group of women." Handa added, "The Caledonias were my first call, after my band. They are remarkable."

Both groups will perform Handa's song cycle "Have You Seen My Sister?" together. Kira Henders, who also performed with Handa last March, said, "Using our voices to speak up for women and girls experiencing gender based violence on a local, national, and global scale is incredibly important to us." In 2023, Aruna & the Sirens released a song drawn from this song cycle earning a Single of the Year nomination for the Canadian Folk Music Awards 2024.

The concert will feature a set by Aruna & the Sirens including their most recent single released last month, "City Hotel". Also included in the band's set is a song about Elephants, the lyrics for which were written by a girl who was at the time, seven years old. "We wanted this event to celebrate women and girls, and not just focus on the grim news from around the world," added Caitlin Holland, a vocalist in Aruna & the Sirens.

The Caledonias will perform a new addition to their repertoire to delight children of all ages. "Sing" by Joe Raposo, originally written for the children's PBS series Sesame Street, was subsequently made famous by the Carpenters, whose lead singer, Karen Carpenter, died of an eating disorder at age 32.

Handa will also perform a few songs with local upright bassist Michael Broadhead, including a song by the late great Canadian-American-Mexican composer Lhasa de Sela, who died of breast cancer ten years ago at age 37. Handa and Broadhead have been playing jazz focussed sets of originals and standards in town, most recently this month with Oscar Evans at Musiikki.

The concert is co-sponsored by the Music Performance Trust Fund, the Next Church, Kingston Interval House, the Kingston Anti-Violence Advisory Council, the Kingston Musician's Union, Local 518, local women led food companies Collective Joy urban farm and the Mint Leaf, purveyor of Indian sweets. Additional promotional support came from Kingston Live!, Novel Idea, and the Rotary Club of Kingston.

Tea, coffee and some sweets and fruit will be served immediately after the concert. Solidari-Tea is free to attend, and all ages are welcome. Saturday November 30 at tea time 4:00pm to 6:00pm at Kington's Next Church. Please visit: arunaandthesirens.com for more information.

Contact:
Aruna Antonella Handa 416-606-0799, lead singer and composer [email protected]
Band members and the Caledonias available for interview, as well as Leigh Martins from Kingston Interval House Posted: Nov 28, 2024