Zevk
Ensemble is the combined effort of husband and wife team Benyamin and Rabia
van Hattum. They are supported by other
musicians inspiring and delighting audiences that range from kindergarden to
the elderly. They are committed to using their performing talents to
express that tolerance and appreciation of cultural and religious differences is the basis
of a peaceful world, and that everyone becomes richer by sharing.
Zevk is a Turkish word conveying taste and joy coming from an uplifted heart.
The
Zevk Ensemble’s combination program of music and
storytelling draws its
source material primarily from the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern region. Turkish folk music
and illahis, or devotional Islamic poetry, are presented. Their repertoire
also includes music from the Sephardim (Spanish Jews), various peoples of
the Balkans, and the Romany gypsies. The popular feature of storytelling evokes laughter and
reflection on the human condition. By expressing what is universal and
appreciating what is different in all cultures, the Zevk Ensemble hopes to
bring hearts to the recognition that we are all one human family.
