“Trio Sefardo Espagnol” is made up by Mateo Alvarez (guitar), Nelleke Nieuwboer (mezzo-soprano) and Elisabeth Liefkens (violin / viola) bringing music from Spanish and Spanish-Jewish origin.
Elisabeth Liefkens – Violin & Viola
Began at age 9 with fiddling. Conservatory training under Jeanne Lemkes-Fox in Groningen, and a follow-up study at Emmy Verhey. Elisabeth has been a permanent member of the Metropole Orchestra for 21 years playing jazz , pop, world and film music with many famous artists.
Mateo Alvarez – Guitar
Got guitar lessons (classical) by Guido Topper. In 2007 trained as a voice therapist at Terra Voice, which led in 2009 to solo performances.
In Spain Mateo is part of the band ‘Ruby’s Gang. ” Mateo’s CD ‘Little Princess’ was recorded with mostly his own compositions. Followed in 2012 the solo album “To all my friends.” Many performances in theaters, on radio and television. With the Trio Sefardo Espagnol back to classical guitar. http://www.mateoalvarez.nl
Nelleke Nieuwboer – Mezzo-soprano
Nelleke did state exams singing and had lessons with Aafje Heynis. She sings regularly in classical concerts and popular music, where among a whole repertoire Annie MG Schmidt songs and the Spanish-Sephardic music. Initiator and Chairman of the Foundation for Art Empire, where Nelleke organizes all kinds of large-scale musical (open air) theater projects. www.nellekenieuwboer.nl
Origin:
Trio Sefardo Espagnol brings music from Spanish and Spanish-Jewish origin. In the South of Spain were Arab, Christian and Jewish influences for centuries living together under the Moorish kings. It was a peek in culture for poetry, song, art, literature and early science. When the Roman Catholic rulers gained more ground, the Jews were persecuted and renamed Marranos.
From this period orginate the songs of the trio, with a multitude of hidden meanings in the texts. The Jewish inhabitants, Sefarden (Sepharad is the Hebrew word for Spain), had to leave at the end of the 15th century Spain, and took their songs with. The melodies were passed down from generation to generation, and traveled throughout the Mediterranean.