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Warm Reception

Musicians on stage

By Lindajoy Fenley, tour manager

Arts Illiana’s offices were filled when we arrived Sunday evening. After introductions and a few questions, members of the ensemble were also interviewed by a local television station. All of us chatted with Terre Haute community members who had put out a delicious spread of food. We took vegetarian soup, cheesecake and other goodies back to our downtown accommodations, which feature kitchenettes in each room.

Week three of our four week tour has begun!

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Tasting the Music

Gilad Ephrat plays the double bass.

By Gilad Ephrat, musician

Gilad Ephrat plays double bass for The Israeli Ethnic Ensemble.

On my honeymoon on a Greek island a couple of years ago, I fell under the spell of two men—Stoykos and Ilias—and the experience inspired me to compose a piece I now play in concert with the Israeli Ethnic Ensemble. The one who reminded me of a famous Israeli comedian operated a small restaurant; his friend, a tall, lanky guy, ran a tavern nearby.

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Playing in Peoria

The Red Barn in Peoria, Illinois

By Lindajoy Fenley, tour manager

We spent a whole day in Peoria, Illinois—that metaphorical yardstick used to measure public acceptance of performers. The Israeli Ethnic Ensemble measured up—and then some.

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Thank you, Knoxville!

Ori Naveh plays percussion on stage.

By Ori Naveh, musician

Today’s guest blogger, Ori Naveh, plays percussion for The Israeli Ethnic Ensemble.

Hi everybody! Here’s a little bit about our last week in Knoxville, Iowa.

The first week of our tour, we arrived in this small pastoral town, which seemed to me like a kind of a typically American place—beautiful landscapes, small lakes, green forests, trees turning orange, yellow, and red. Such wonderful, natural fall beauty.

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Magic

Musicians with their instruments at a local pub.

By Daniel Hoffman, musician

One of the best things about being a musician is the times when the unexpected happens—when you get a chance to play music with people you may have never met before and everything somehow comes together like magic. It’s a chance to make great connections with people that you may have not even spoken to. This is exactly what came together for the band at Megan McKay Ziller and Scott Ziller’s new brewery last Thursday night.

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Welcome, Israeli Ethnic Ensemble!

Goats in foreground, group of people look on.

By Lindajoy Fenley, tour manager

Please join us in welcoming another group of fantastic musicians to the Midwest! The Israeli Ethnic Ensemble arrived in the U.S. last Friday. Today’s blog post comes to us via their tour manager, Lindajoy Fenley.

From race cars to docile goats, the Israeli Ethnic Ensemble got a feel for down home Iowa this week. After a visit to the 3M plant fell through Tuesday, the five-member ensemble, plus sound man and company manager, visited the Knoxville Raceway which claims the title “dirt racin’ capital of the world,” and had dinner at a family farm.

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