WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Tiger Woods' Wife Moves Out

Tiger Woods' wife Elin has moved out of their house, RadarOnline.com is reporting exclusively. The explosive development follows numerous women coming forward with claims of affairs with the golfing great.Elin Nordegren had enough and moved out of the $2.6 million Windermere home,neighbors and other sources close to Tiger, told RadarOnline.com exclusively. Sources tell RadarOnline.com that Elin is living nearby in another house.

Siem reap concert a winner in Britain

Jubilation and party wear for Michael and Hilary in London.

Michael Horton’s Siem Reap-based NGO ConCERT has won the Best Overseas Tourism Project award, given annually by the British Guild of Travel Writers.

The other two finalists on Sunday night were the Al-Ayoun Trail in Jordan, and the Magritte Museum in Brussels.

Last year’s winner was the Loango National Park in Gabon, with runners-up Highland Paradise, the Cook Islands, and Palazzo Falson, Malta.
On September 15 a jubilant Horton was notified that his organisation had been voted one of three 2009 finalists, after being nominated by Hilary Bradt, one of Britain’s most distinguished travel authors, and member of the guild.

In February this year Bradt visited the ConCERT office in Siem Reap.

She was “sufficiently impressed” that she nominated ConCERT for the award, given for the best new (less than two-year-old) overseas tourism project, which not only has tourist potential but is of benefit to the local community and environment.

Horton discovered his organisation won the gong during announcements at a gala dinner on November 8 at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, in London.

Horton emailed 7Days saying, “Well, we won last night – and by a mile apparently. Really good night as Hilary Bradt, who nominated ConCERT, also won the British Guild of Travel Writers lifetime achievement award, which was a complete surprise for her.”

Nostrovia! Here's to a week of Russian films

Tuesday, 20 October 2009 15:00 Roth Meas

Russia’s film renaissance is coming to a Centre of Science and Culture near you

The Russian comedy Four Taxi Drivers And A Dog (2004) screens this Friday and Saturday. PHOTO SUPPLIED

SCREENINGS

Back in Time: October 20, 6pm
Fatherland or Death: October 21, 6pm
Franz + Polina: October 22, 6pm
The Star: October 24, 6pm
Four Taxi Drivers and a Dog:
October 23, 6pm; October 24, 3pm
Russian Centre of Science and Culture
103 Norodom Boulevard

To the uninitiated, the term “Russian cinema” might evoke mental images of a stark, grey aesthetic, hosting deep filmic dissections of the communist ideal to a backdrop of austere tower blocks.

So what about the adventures of Figaro, a small dog whose fearless appetite for adventure turns the lives of four taxi drivers upside down?

That is the premise of Four Taxi Drivers and a Dog, one of five contemporary Russian movies due to screen at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture this week. All films are dubbed in Khmer with English subtitles, but whatever your language, entry costs nishto – in other words, it’s free.

Dilyara Ravilova-Borovik, the first secretary of the Russian embassy, says the screenings celebrate the 65th anniversary of Russia’s victory over Nazi Germany in the First World War.

It is also part of a cultural exchange which seeks to demonstrate Russia’s cinematic renaissance and encourage Cambodians to learn more about the country’s history, society and arts.

Ravilova-Borovik says in the past 10 years or so Russia has re-emerged as a cinematic breeding ground.

The Russian movie sector ran into trouble in the late ’80s and early ’90s, as television became more accessible to the public and the number of cinemagoers declined rapidly.

Around 1998, a resurgent film industry emerged, fed by money invested in large, modern cinemas and the proliferation of European and American movies. Private production companies spang up, producing around 800 movies per year.

Some are even spreading their wings abroad, as Cambodia found out last year. A Russian production company came to the Kingdom to produce Rainy Season, a love story between a Cambodian woman and a Russian man, which went on to win awards in Russia.

Ravilova-Borovik says she believes the screenings will help the film sector in Cambodia, as the movies could inspire Cambodians interested in the silver screen.

She acknowledges many Cambodians lack the technical skills to produce films, but says the Russian embassy is inviting Cambodian students to apply for film studies scholarships in her native Russia.

This is the second time a selection of Russian movies has been screened in Cambodia. The first was in 2007, when more than 1,000 people attended the screenings.

This year’s five Russian movies deal with universal themes of love, compassion, honesty, partriotism and humanity.
Each movie screens for around 90 minutes.

Ravilova-Borovik says she hopes the locally produced Rainy Season will be included in next year’s calendar.

Music festival lights up

Wednesday, 04 November 2009 15:00 POST STAFF

PHOTO: SENSI CREATIONS

Kong Piseth, singer and guitarist with homegrown band Phos Phore, performing onstage at the Wave Music Festival 2009 on Saturday night. Phos Phore and fellow Cambodian rock outfit Cartoon Plus kicked off the two-day full-moon festival at The Airport Club, Victory Beach, Sihanoukville. The rock concert vibe transformed into a hardcore dance club later in the night as DJs took over, with locals and expats alike enjoying a moonlit beach dancefloor, state-of-the-art laser light show and frenetic tunes.

Hot Pstromi's "Borsht with Bread, Brothers" European Tour

Yale Strom and Hot Pstromi are taking their brilliantly spontaneous and authentic Klezmer music to countries across Europe throughout March 2008. The group will be playing songs from their highly praised album, "Borsht with Bread, Brothers" EUCD2102.

Yale Strom (centre) with Hot Pstromi members Norbert Stachel and Peter Stan

Hot Pstromi formed in 1982 and began making music inspired by Yale Strom's research from the previous year, when he trekked for 12 months throughout the former East Bloc countries searching for unknown, unpublished (and most often, unwritten) klezmer and Yiddish tunes.

The band have a distinct sound that mixes the authentic field recordings Yale had gathered with new compositions and a lot of improvisation. Strom believes that to merely preserve and recreate Klezmer and Yiddish tunes of the past does a disservice to the art form: "...when you listen to the cuts on this recording, you will hear improvisation from all the band members - the arrangements here are spontaneous, unique and pay service to the past while creating something fresh and new."

International music producer and composer on ARC Music label wins a second Grammy award

Immensely talented and respected in his field, Robin Hogarth's musicianship has for a second time received high recognition by the international Grammy Awards judges with "African Spirit", by The Soweto Gospel Choir. The album, which was produced by Robin, won the "Best Traditional World Music Album" award at the 50th Grammy awards held in Los Angeles on the 10th February 2008. He also produced the Choir's previous album "Blessed", which too won the Grammy at the 2007 awards.

Robin has over 50 albums to his credit, including World Moods albums with the likes of Peter Gabriel and Enigma, ARC Music albums "Tribal Beatz of Africa", "South African Gospel" and "Ancient Civilisations of Southern Africa", to name just a few. His music has been used in film and TV productions in almost every country in the world.

He has worked within African and World music for many years, and is involved in developing new recording approaches to both technically capture African choral and playing techniques, and to develop in the studio the capacity to reproduce the level of excitement and live communication of African music.

Robin's projects currently underway are diverse and numerous. He says, "Every day brings new challenges, and new and wonderful music, rhythm and cultural panoramas: I love what I do as it continually opens up new futures, and the adventure is ever changing".

He has worked on more than 20 ARC Music albums all to a beautiful result. Listeners will find the CDs he has produced, often featuring genuine African tribal musicians or unrecorded choir groups, excellently capture the culture and energy of the people.

We at ARC Music are very proud and happy that Robin's abilities as a composer, producer and musician are recognised and appreciated by the prestigious Grammy Awards. Congratulations from all of us to him, his team and the choir!

Baluji Shrivastav and others launch World Music Nights in London

On Saturday May 3rd, Baluji Shrivastav, Linda Shanson and Chris Conway, who form the ensemble "Jazz Orient", will be launching the first in a series of "world music" nights in London.

Baluji is one of the greatest instrumentalists India has produced, excelling in sitar, surbahar, dilruba, pakhavaj and tabla, and he expertly weaves the Indian flavours through Jazz Orient's music. Linda Shanson provides gorgeous vocals, and Chris Conway supplies jazz on guitar, keyboard, tin whistle and sometimes the thermin. The trio feature on the album "Re-Orient" [EUCD1982], and Baluji has released six other albums on ARC Music as well.

The show takes place at The Crypt, a gem of a live music venue situated in the very atmospheric crypt below Camberwell's St. Giles Church. The show starts at 8pm and tickets are £7, £5 concessions. The church is located on Camberwell Church Street and is a ten minute walk from Camberwell Green tube station, or you can get the following buses:

• From Central - bus numbers 12 and 176
• From Peckham - bus number 345
• From Brixton - bus numbers 345, 35 and 45
• From Oval - bus numbers 436, 36 and 185

All Night Concert in New York featuring Bansuri maestro Pandit Ronu Majumdar

On Saturday 10th May a very special all night concert of Indian classical music will take place at the Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York, USA. The concert begins at 9pm on the Saturday and finishes at 8am on the Sunday. Among the line up of highly skilled Indian classical music artists, Bansuri (Indian flute) master Pandit Ronu Majumdar will be performing from 2am to 3:45am.

Pandit Ronu Majumdar is one of India's top flautists and he has performed at some of the most prestigious venues across the world, including as the Kremlin in Moscow and the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels. For his accomplishments he has won numerous awards (and was nominated for a Grammy in 1996), and has been musically associated with many international artists such as Pandit Ravi Shankar, ex-Beatle George Harrison and guitarist Ry Cooder. He has recorded a large number of albums, including "Master of the Indian Bansuri" [EUCD2056], with ARC Music.

For a whole night of pure Indian classical music indulgence, be sure to attend this concert and hear Pandit Ronu Majumdar's glorious Bansuri playing.

Master percussionist Hossam Ramzy concerts and workshops at this year's WOMAD

International master of Egyptian percussion Hossam Ramzy will be performing and holding workshops at the WOMAD festival this year, as well as holding a very special week long work shop at WOMAD Summer School.

WOMAD stands for World of Music, Arts and Dance and was set up in 1982 by Genesis lead singer Peter Gabriel. The festival brings together many forms of the arts from different countries and cultures all over the globe. Revellers will experience around 70 acts from around the world on both indoor and outdoor stages, experiencing a range of music and dance. Hossam Ramzy and his orchestra will be performing classical Egyptian dance music live, featuring the beautiful and brilliant dancing of Serena Ramzy. He and Serena will also be holding drumming and dance workshops during the festival.

Hossam Ramzy and his Orchestra

The first WOMAD Summer School took place in 2007 and returns this year following its huge success. The Summer School is an opportunity for attendants to deepen their musical experience by learning directly from the most exceptional and accomplished talents in the industry. There will be classes in music, voice and dance, ensemble tuition, discussion sessions and workshops in musical and performance techniques. This year Hossam Ramzy and his wife Serena will be teaching a 5 day, hands-on workshop in Egyptian Percussion, in which they will share their enormous breadth of experience with students and participants will work together to create new music and dance possibilities.

Hossam and Serena Ramzy

The festival and the Summer School are both set to be spectacular experiences and very popular, so be sure to get your tickets early.

Festival dates: Friday 25th July until Sunday 27th July 2008
Location: Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

Summer School dates: Monday 28th July until Friday 1st August 2008.
Location: Bath Spa University, Bath.

She'koyokh Ensemble awarded first prize at the International Jewish Music Festival.

Last week, from the 9^th to the 12^th May, the annual International Jewish Music Festival took place in Amsterdam, Holland. The main event of the festival is a 3-day competition where Jewish bands battle it out to claim first prize in the contest as musicians or ensembles with a goal of an international career focusing on Jewish music. Performances are judged by a jury of international Jewish music experts, including leading figures from the music and recording industry Peter van der Heyden (Universal Music) and Frank London (The Klezmatics).

She'koyokh Klezmer Ensemble

After 3 days of competing, She'koyokh Klezmer Ensemble stood out to the judges with their exhilarating live performances of Eastern European Jewish music and they were awarded the prestigious first prize. The ensemble are obviously very excited and honoured to have been selected as the winners among all the other talented acts, and they will return to the competition in 2009 to give a concert and inspiration to next year's competitors. To hear the electrifying music of the She'koyokh Klezmer Ensemble,

Master Harpist Oscar Benito Plays at Paraguayan Harp Festival

Harpist Oscar Benito will be attending the 3rd Paraguayan Harp Weekend held in Appleton, Oxfordshire over the weekend of 27th - 29th June 2008.

Oscar is one of Paraguay's foremost harp players, having represented his country in the "OTI-Festival" in Valencia, Spain in 1993. He has released Best of the Paraguayan Harp [EUCD1896] with ARC Music, and is featured on Masters of the Harp [EUCD1764] and Best of Latin America [EUCD2052] among others.

The weekend will play host to a series of jamming sessions, workshops and lessons (beginners welcome!) as well as two concerts at nearby Cumnor Village Hall and Holywell Music Room. It will end with a traditional Paraguayan barbecue on the Sunday 29th June. Tickets will cost approximately £50 for the weekend and can be ordered by sending an email to robert.munro@me.uk.

So be sure to head down to Appleton for a weekend of exquisite music and Paraguayan culture.

Another ARC Music artist, Suzzana Owiyo, Added to London's 46664 Concert Line-up

Kenyan vocalist and guitarist Suzzana Owiyo has been added to the line-up for the upcoming 46664 concert, to be held in London's Hyde Park on 27th June 2008.

Suzzana is one of her country's most popular singers and has been called the "Tracy Chapman of Kenya" owing to her acoustic style and powerful, earthy vocals. She achieved national stardom in Kenya in 2001 with her monster-hit "Kisumu 100" and the release of her debut album "Mama Africa" a year later.

The 46664 events are a series of charity concerts organised by the Nelson Mandela Foundation in response to the Global HIV AIDS epidemic. The name 46664 is taken from Mandela's prison number during his incarceration on Robben Island between 1964 and 1990. This year's event also coincides with Mandela's 90th birthday celebrations.

Suzzana is the second ARC Music artist announced to be performing at the concert, following the news that Barry Van Zyl will be performing with the Johnny Clegg Band. Other African artists who will be performing include Sipho Mabuse, The Soweto Gospel Choir, Papa Wemba and Emmanuel Jal. They will be joined by international megastars including Annie Lennox, Queen + Paul Rogers, Amy Winehouse, Dame Shirley Bassey, Eminem, Leona Lewis and many others. The concert is being hosted by actor Will Smith.

Suzzana's debut album is the ARC Music release "Mama Africa" [EUCD1875] and she is also featured on "Spotlight on Kenyan Music" [EUCD2030].

Cheng Yu and the Silk String Quartet to perform at London's Royal Opera House

Chinese musician Cheng Yu and members of the Silk String Quartet will perform in the orchestra for the theatre production of Monkey: Journey to the West at London's Royal Opera House this month.

Silk String Quartet

Overseen by Chinese director Chen Shi-zheng, the production boasts a score composed by former Blur and Gorillaz singer Damon Albarn, and set and costume designs by his Gorillaz co-creator Jamie Hewlett. It is based upon the 16th Century Chinese novel Journey to the West and tells the tale of 'Monkey', who hatched from a stone egg, and his subsequent journey towards enlightenment.

The show will run at the Royal Opera House from 23rd - 26th July 2008, having already enjoyed stints at the Palace Theatre Manchester, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, and its US premier at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, South Carolina.

For more information and for tickets to the show please visit www.monkeyjourneytothewest.com

Cheng Yu's music can be found on the ARC Music releases "Chinese Masterpieces of the Pipa and Qin" (EUCD2074) and "The Silk String Quartet - Contemporary & Traditional Chinese Music" (EUCD2095), as well as the compilations "Chinese Classical Folk Music" (EUCD1564), "Exotic Strings" (EUCD1823) and "The Very Best of Chinese Music" (EUCD1947).

An evening of Coimbra Fado with Verdes Anos

Fado group Verdes Anos will make their UK debut at London's Astoria 2 on Saturday 22nd November 2008. The performance coincides with the release of the group's album of Coimbra Fado on the ARC Music label.

Verdes Anos

Verdes Anos is a Fado group from Coimbra, Portugal, formed in 1996. Its members all met in the corridors of the AAC (Academic Association of Coimbra) where they all were, or had been, students.

Academic life and Fado go hand-in-hand in Coimbra. Historically, Fado came to Coimbra from Lisbon, was picked up by the students of the University, and has been part of their academic traditions ever since. The 'Fado de Coimbra' differs from its more widely-known Lisbon-based cousin in its more structured pattern and the fact that it is sung exclusively by men. Verdes Anos are currently one of the main exponents of the genre.

Insingizi Composes Music for PBS Nature Programme on US Television

A new nature programme premieres on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) this weekend, and it features music from Zimbabwean vocal group Insingizi.

"Drakensberg: Barrier of Spears" is the latest episode in PBS' "Nature" series.

Filmed in South Africa's Drakensberg mountain range the documentary chronicles the hardships of the nomadic eland, a member of the antelope family, and their perilous mountain trek in search of greener pastures. Insingizi's music can be heard throughout.

"Drakensberg: Barrier of Spears" premieres on PBS on Sunday February 8^th at 8pm (check local listings).

Blessings Nqo 2009 Tour Dates

Blessings Nqo will be touring Europe extensively in 2009 in support of his latest album release "Mbube and Gospel from Southern Africa". The album, released by ARC Music in January, is Blessings' third solo release.

Blessings is also a member of the successful vocal group, Insingizi, together with band mates Vusa Ndlovu and Dumisani "Ramadu" Moyo.

You can catch Blessings, either solo or with Insingizi, in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Visit www.blessingsnqo.net for full details of the tour and remember to check back regularly as more dates may be added in future.

Solá Akingbolá Announced as Finalist in Independent Music Awards

Nigerian percussionist Solá Akingbolá has been announced as a finalist in the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards. The song "Olukumi" from his debut album Routes to Roots (ARC EUCD2114) is one of five tracks nominated in the category 'Best Song - World Fusion.'

The song was nominated by a judging panel comprised of industry insiders, as well as famed musicians such as Peter Gabriel, Suzanne Vega, The Who frontman Roger Daltrey, Blues legend Buddy Guy, country star George Jones and guitar virtuoso Steve Vai.

You can vote for Solá at the Independent Music Awards website www.independentmusicawards.com

Winners of the 'people's choice' vote will be announced in April 2009.

Sanju Sahai to perform tribute to the late Pandit Kishan Maharaj

Sanju Sahai, one of the most accomplished tabla players in the world, will be performing at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London, on Saturday 9th May 2009.

Sahai will be accompanied by the haunting melodies of the sarangi played by the acclaimed Pandit Ramesh Mishra. The duo will pay special tribute to the late Pandit Kishan Maharaj, one of the greatest exponents of the Benares tabla tradition.

Enjoy an evening of two outstanding musicians coming together in an exhilarating evening of percussion and melody in rhythmical conversation reflecting the spirit of Benares.

During the concert, audience members will also have an opportunity to speak with the musicians and learn more about the musical tradition of Benares.

Tickets are available via the Southbank Centre website www.southbankcentre.co.uk or by calling 0871 663 2500 and are priced at £15 and £12 (concessions 50% off - limited availability).

Narasirato Panpipers US concert dates

The Narasirato Panpipers bring their authentic tribal music of the Solomon Islands to the United States in September and October 2009.

Surrounded by virgin rainforest and idyllic lagoons, the Narasirato Pan Pipers live at the end of a mangrove forest in Oterama Village, at the remote southern end of Malaita Island, in the Solomon Islands. Their village is only accessible by canoe or overland by foot.

They will be performing in the United States on the following dates:

September, 2009
17th	Madison World Music Festival	Madison, Wisconsin
18th	Global Union	Milwaukee, Wisconsin
19th	Chicago World Music Festival	Chicago, Illinois
22nd	Landfall Festival: Legion Arts Centre	Cedar Rapids, Iowa
25th-26th	Lotus Festival	Bloomington, Indiana
October, 2009
2nd	World Music/CRASHarts	Boston, Massachusetts
3rd	World Music Institute	New York, New York
6th	Museum of Art	Cleveland, Ohio
9th-11th	National Folk Festival	Richmond, Virginia
12th-25th	Washington DC Schools Tour	Washington, DC
20th	Smithsonian Institute	Washington, DC
27th-29th	Hopkins Centre	Hanover, New Hampshire

ARC Music artists named 'Artists in Residence' at Sound of Asia summer school

Three ARC Music artists will be contributing to The Asian Music Circuit's 2009 Sounds of Asia summer school at London's Kingston University.

Liz Walters (taiko drums - Joji Hirota and the Taiko Drummers), Sun Zhou (guzheng - Silk String Quartet) and Japanese koto virtuoso Dr. Ayako Hotta Lister have all been named as Artists in Residence for the week-long event, which takes place between 25th July and 1st August 2009.

They will be holding workshops throughout the week on their respective instruments, as well as teaming up with guqin-maestro Professor Zeng Chengwei to deliver a showcase of Chinese and Japanese instrumental music at the Southbank Centre on Sunday 26th July. Tickets for the performance are priced at £12 and are available from www.southbankcentre.co.uk.

The Sounds of Asia summer school is now in its 12th year, and this year it gives students the chance to learn from internationally renowned artists from India, China and Japan. Further information about the summer school and its events is available at the Asian Music Circuit's website at www.amc.org.uk/summer_schools.