About

Composer, arranger, guitar and oud artist Guy Kark has developed, through the years, a unique, personal language of composition and improvisation, creating his own musical landscape. His music explores the territory spanning from Early Music, Middle Eastern, World music and jazz.

Kark's music was described by the Los Angeles Times as music that "happily veers over borders", with a sound inspired by the unusual local musical diversity, as well as the huge variety of songs, sounds and echoes that permeate the Mediterranean atmosphere.

Along with his ensembles, Kark has performed worldwide (Holland, Belgium, USA, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, France, Italy, Zimbabwe, Turkey, Germany, Uzbekistan, Spain, Portugal, The Czech Republic, Serbia, Canada, Israel etc). Among his works are compositions for films, theater, dance, art exhibitions, TV and multimedia. Kark's music has been featured on radio, TV and cinema internationally (BBC, N.Y public radio, ABC, IBA etc). His second CD, Canaan, was chosen as one of the best ‘World Music’ CD’s of the year by ‘The Planet’ -Radio National – Australia and by 'Global Village', KPFK radio-Los Angeles and was nominated for the Just Plain Folks award for the best ethnic album.

Mr. Kark is the composer, founder and artistic director of various cross-cultural music ensembles and projects, he brings together traditions both from east and west, some of which join Jewish and Arab musicians. Among them are The Between Times Ensemble – one of Israel's leading world music groups (known in Hebrew as 'Yemey Habeintime'), Duo Esperanto and Celtan. He is also a member of the mediaeval music ensemble 'Quynade'. He studied composition and is a graduate of the Rubin Academy of Music, Jerusalem (in the department of classical Arab music under the guidance of Professor Taisir Elias and Professor Dahlia Cohen). He won a scholarship as a visiting artist at the prestigious Cite Des Arts in Paris.

S p e c i a l Performances

Ten Vrede Peace Festival/ Belgium, ‘Gamle Logen’ concert hall in Oslo, The Black Diamond in Copenhagen, the Cantigas do Maio Festival in Lisbon, the Eastern Voices Festival in Samarkand, The Skirball in Los Angeles, the Crested Bute Festival in Colorado, CBGB – N.Y, the Academy of Music in Prague, the Six Days to Live Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe, the Metu Festival in Ankara, the Grachtenfestival in Amsterdam, the Festival of Three Cultures in Spain , the 5th Meeting of Mediterranean Cultures in Almeria, the Bibliotheca Joanina in Coimbra, Portugal, Les Automnales de Ballainvilliers guitar festival/France, the Hearing the World festival in the Tel Aviv opera house, the Israel Festival in Jerusalem, the Abu Gosh vocal music festival, the Islamic Museum and the Oud Festival in Jerusalem, The Rennaisance festival in Yehiam fort, a series of concerts in Israel with the Kibbutz Chamber Orchestra and the Mediaeval music ensemble Quynade. One of Kark's European tours included a special performance for the Queen of Holland to which he was invited with Duo Esperanto to celebrate the 150 year anniversary of the Biblical Museum. Kark and Between Times were invited by the Norwegian Prime Minister to hold a special concert together with leading Norwegian musicians. Kark's music has also performed in Montreal's recorder festival in the 'Ciel d'Orient' program- by the Canadian Ensemble Caprice in collaboration with Quynade Ensemble.

D I s c o g r a p h y

Compilations – Mantra for Peace (Hed Artzi), Murcia Tres Culturas (Vaso , Roots 2 (Israel Festival), Israel a world of music

Music for Cinema, Exhibitions, Dance

'Out of Place' – Director Sato Makoto, A Japanese documentary about Edward Said (soundtrack for film from the cd 'Strings of Hope' along with music played by Daniel Barenboim); 'Le Blues De L'orient (France /Canada); Contra (Israel); Hagar (Israel), Group Photo (Israel); Music for 'Click' - Kolban dance group; music for exhibitions – Somanbulin (Sigalit Landau), exhibition in Amsterdam's Biblical museum; Theater – Weaving , Winnie the pooh (Psik theatre)

Radio, TV : USA – New York public radio; UK– BBC radio 3, KPFK – Los Angeles, Echoes, Putumayo world music hour; Jewishpodshow-London; Australia - National Radio; Italy – Rai 1; France – Radio National; Zimbabwe – National TV and radio; Spain – TV Santiago de Compostella; Israel – TV: Channel 1, 2, Culture Channel, IBA, Galatz etc.

P r e s s

" With the sparkle of a liturgical poet and the talent of a superb orchestrator, he paints the music…" (Ma'ariv)

" an atmosphere of the mystical charm of a folk legend…" (Ha'aretz) "… a delightful display of the highest level of musicianship. Guy Kark, who wrote most of the music and played guitar, oud and percussion, is blessed with the rare quality of being able to produce a scintillating performance in a seemingly effortless fashion” (Jerusalem Post) "...this very different entity permeates ones heart and excites in a rare way." (Hed Hakrayot). "happily veers over borders, playing music with Jewish and Arab strains" (Los Angeles Times)