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VOENA: Voices of Eve 'N Angels
VOENA (Voices of Eve 'N Angels) was founded in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Benicia, CA in 1994 by musical and artistic director Annabelle Marie. The group re-invents "choir" the way Cirque de Soleil reinvents "circus." Ms Marie, whose own children are Cirque performers, combined world music, theater, education and originality to present music with what can only be described as an experience unlike anything before. Jefferson Award winner, Annabelle Marie, has a no audition policy in keeping with her philosophy that every child should have an opportunity to sing. With over 100 voices ranging in age from 6 to 18, VOENA achieves rich and inventive a cappella vocal arrangements using multiple percussion instruments, dance, and theatrical elements while performing with a splash of color to embrace our world's many cultural differences. Sharing its message of world peace through multicultural understanding and acceptance, the choir performs music from around the world in over 20 native languages and dialects.
The choir has enjoyed a rich and illustrious history and continues to break new ground:
VOENA has performed multiple times for both Presidents Clinton and Bush in Washington D.C. as well as for the lighting of the national Christmas tree on two separate occasions, the second of which was unprecedented as the producers felt there was no other choir in the country who could sing behind Dr. Maya Angelou as she read from Amazing Peace on national television. The children have also taken their angelic voices to Rome and performed for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.
As official U.S. ambassadors of goodwill, VOENA has toured internationally spreading its message of world peace and celebration of global diversity to China, Mexico, Italy, Greece, Japan (World Expo) and in the fall of 2009, South Africa where they were the first ever U.S. voices of children to perform at the International Soweto Festival. During this tour VOENA had the distinct honor of performing in Durban with Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Currently, the choir performs on a regular basis and tours internationally. For additional information about the choir we invite you to visit the choir's website at www.voena.org
The South Africa Documentary Project:
The goal of this film is to consider how cultural mindsets regarding issues of racial tolerance and acceptance are established at a very young age. However it is children themselves, singing together with their innocent voices, who have the power to bring diverse cultures together in awareness, acceptance and mutual appreciation.
As they traveled throughout South Africa, VOENA sang their way into the hearts of the African people and broke down barriers with their beautiful voices and inspiring message of hope.
It is for this current generation of kids we seek to share our conviction to help change the mindset of violence and racism and to provide a new perspective for future generations of children.
Visit the VOENA: Voices of Eve 'N Angels home page.
