Dr Nathan Wolski
Nathan Wolski is a scholar of the Jewish mystical tradition with a special focus on the Zohar, the 13th century classic of medieval Kabbalah. He is the author of A Journey into the Zohar: An Introduction to the Book of Radiance (SUNY, 2010); the translator of The Zohar: Pritzker Edition, vols 10 and 12 (with Joel Hecker) (Stanford Uni Press, 2016, 2017); and most recently Kabbalistic Yiddish: Aaron Zeitlin's Mystical-Messianic Poetics (Cherub Press, 2020). He has written numerous studies on diverse aspects of the Zohar, and translated Melila Hellner-Eshed's seminal book, A River Flows From Eden: The Language of Mystical Experience in the Zohar (Stanford Uni Press, 2009). His current research project "Esotericism and Exotericism in Early Modern Ashkenaz" explores the tranmission of Kabbalah through Yiddish texts of the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
Husky Gawenda
Husky Gawenda sang long before he spoke. He studied classical piano and then taught himself guitar. His sister taught him how to sing. After studying English literature (which gave him a lifelong love of books and poetry) and Astrophysics (for his lifelong fascination with space) he forged a career in song, in which he has won the country's biggest awards (including the Vanda and Young International Songwriting Award). He has recorded four critically acclaimed albums and toured the world with his band ‘HUSKY’ alongside his cousin and kindred spirit collaborator Gideon Preiss. He has recorded a Yiddish folk album with Gideon and his sister Evie Gawenda (AKA The Bashevis Singers). He has played festivals worldwide, played iconic venues including Central Park and toured with international artists including Neil Young. Recently, alone in lockdown, he wrote and recorded two albums, one of which came out in December 2021, the other pegged for release in September 2022. Sometimes his songs soar and swirl in rambling tales that sweep you up and carry you away. Other times his songs unfold quietly, unexpectedly, revealing a dark, felt world, and almost whispered, they compel you to lean in and listen more closely. He is also a founding member of the Farborgene Khalyastre - the Hidden Group - a new collective of artists creating new fusions of Yiddish poetry, music and art.
Gideon Preiss
Gideon Preiss is an Australian musician, composer and producer.
He has worked as a professional musician since he was a teenager and completed his Bachelor of Music at Monash University in 2005. He has co-written and co-produced four records with critically acclaimed Australian band Husky and has toured extensively both at home and internationally. He has experimented with a wide range of musical styles and has collaborated with many of Australia's best musicians. Some of his recording credits include Daniel Merriweather, Kanye West and M-Phazes. More recently he has recorded and toured with Harry James Angus and is a core member of Melbourne underground favourites Jazz Party.
Gideon has written for film and Television and continues to perform, write and hone his skills as a pianist, composer and songwriter here in Melbourne.
He is also a founding member of the The Bashevis Singers and Di Farborgene Khalyastre - the Hidden Group - a new collective of artists creating new fusions of Yiddish poetry, music and art.
Evie Gawenda
Evie Gawenda is an experienced and passionate Singer, Theatre Director, Educator, Playwright and Performer.
Evie has been singing since she was a small child and has always been known for the beauty and warmth of her voice.
Evie is the grand-daughter of Holocaust survivors and Yiddish theatre makers and songwriters- people who lived their lives in Yiddish. Evie has breathed Yiddish music and poetry since she was a little girl.
She is the lead singer of Melbourne based Yiddish folk band- The Bashevis Singers.
The Bashevis Singers –( Evie, her brother Husky Gawenda and her cousin Gideon Preiss) recorded their debut album in 2016. The album includes original poetry by Michael Gawenda and original music by Husky Gawenda as well as well known reimagined Yiddish folk songs.
The Bashevis Singers perform regularly together, around the world.
They sold out their album launch at MEMO MUSIC HALL in July 2018.
They perform regularly at music festivals, film festivals and community events.
Their achievements include playing gigs at the Mullumbimby Folk Festival, Shir Madness festival in Sydney and Melbourne, JIFF film festival, In One Voice Street festival in Melbourne , The Ashkenaz Festival in Toronto, In One Night in Melbourne and more recently they played intimate sold out shows at Classic Southside.
Evie performed in Kadimah’s production of a Cabaret called ‘Yiddish Divas’ that starred 10 women and explored Jewish Feminist themes.
Evie wrote and starred in 2001 Fringe Festival sellout production of ‘GIRL’ which received rave reviews in The Age, The SMH and Beat Magazine.
Throughout her career- Evie has worked as a director of youth productions. She worked as a Drama and Theatre Studies teacher and had the privilege of running one of the most professional and prestigious Performing Arts Departments in a Victorian Secondary College. She was employed at Mount Scopus Memorial College in Burwood. Evie was the Director of Performing Arts and the Director of Performance at Scopus for 10 years. Evie has won several Lyrebird awards for Best Direction and Best Production as well as being nominated for Best Direction and Best Production for every production she has directed. Several youth actors from these aforementioned plays have won awards and been nominated for awards for their performances both at the Lyrebirds and the Theatre Guild.
For the past 2 years in covid times- Evie has been working on the writing and conception of a new play. She is also currently working as the Director of a new production about the music that came out of the Laurel Canyon. This work will be performed in August 2022 at Chapel off Chapel. She is most excited and honored to form part of a new Yiddish artists collective -The Farborgene Khakyastre- the hidden gang- a collective of Melbourne based artists creating new groundbreaking Yiddish art, who recently screened and launched two new beautiful mystical projects and she is about to go into the recording studio to sing on the third exciting project.
Tunni Kraus
Spanning installation, video, sculpture, and painting, Tunni’s studio practice runs alongside his compulsive intervention and mark making habits. Tunni has studied and apprenticed in various capacities with scribes, calligraphers and traditional masters around the world.
Since completing his Masters in Public Art at RMIT Melbourne, Tunni has created work for MONA FOMA, McClelland Sculpture Survey and Footscray Community Art Centre’s Spectres of Evaluation amongst other galleries and institutions both in Australia and abroad. Tunni established Pink William, a non-profit collective for dreams, actions, events and public programs, such as Nine Six High, Balaclava’s Megafauna Parade and other completed, unachievable or ongoing projects.
He is currently challenging the way we communicate and make meaning through experimenting with new media, religious ritual, scribing and digital communication technologies.
Anita Lester
Anita Lester is a Melbourne based multi-disciplinary artist.
Having spent years touring the world with rock outfit ‘Lester The Fierce’, in March 2020, Anita released her debut solo EP ‘Erato’. Whilst the timing of the release was ominous, tracks from the work eventually resonated- notably ‘Wrong Time’ and Anita’s cover of ‘You Want it Darker’ by Leonard Cohen - being picked up by film and television including ‘The Walking Dead’, epiloguing her viral live video of the same song- praised by Leonard himself prior to his death.
Over the last decade and a half, Anita has quietly and gracefully established herself as a force in not only music, but visual art, literature and film.
Her last short film ‘Noch Am Leben (I’m Still Alive)’ was shown in over 50 festivals globally, including multiple Oscar contenders. Additionally it is the winner of 23 award laurels.
Her paintings are irreverent, technical and striking, all with a nod to mythological stories- which is shown in her upcoming book ‘The Seven Palaces of Breath: The Mysteries of the Flying Hobbler‘.
Anita is also an accomplished poet and storyteller with her work appearing in over a dozen books. Her musical release ’Erato’ is also accompanied by a book of poetry, including the widely publicised ‘Ode to Oz’.
Though there are many facets to Anita Lester’s art practice, it is all grounded in a unique storytelling style that has a red thread woven throughout with links to death, sex, love, longing, slavery and spirituality.