Tamar Ilana and Ventanas

Tamar Ilana & Ventanas present MISTRĀL: sounds of the Mediterranean. The six-piece Toronto-based world music ensemble is fronted by the powerhouse vocalist and dancer and features the city’s finest world musicians. Tamar Ilana & Ventanas have toured nationally and internationally (Canada, US, Colombia, Spain) and have been nominated for four Canadian Folk Music Awards, including Best Traditional Singer and Best Ensemble. They are currently working on their 4th studio album, and recently debuted three new works for symphony with the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, to much acclaim.

Their latest album, MISTRĀL, has songs in Ladino, Spanish, Bulgarian, Hebrew, French, Romani and Arabic, and draws inspiration from today’s worldwide themes of migration and the questioning of one’s identity. Tamar’s childhood was spent gathering songs from small villages on the edge of the Mediterranean and dancing flamenco, and Ventanas’ band members hail from across the globe.

Together, in true Canadian fashion, they intertwine their musical cultures to create an all-encompassing world of their own in which they lead audiences down the less traveled paths of the Mediterranean, mixing in contemporary interpretations of ancient ballads, original compositions and new choreographies – Immerse yourself in their world. “I’m a huge admirer,” says Leslie Feist.