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Artists:
Bob Bossin
   Songs and Stories of Davy the Punk
CaneFire
Eliana Cuevas
Iskwew Singers
Veda Hille
Tao Ravao and
   Vincent Bucher with
   Jean-Noel Godard

Contact:
Gary Cristall
PO Box 21547
1424 Commercial Dr
Vancouver BC
V5L 5G2

Phone:
1-604-215-9077

Email:
garycristall@telus.net

Music Outside the Box Sampler CD 2009

Doula - Co-founder, manager, oud player and percussionist of this Arab music ensemble based in the Syrian vocal tradition. Doula has performed in Canada's Arab community and at world music events from 1996.

Sepulcher of Life - Featured vocalist in this piece by Christos Hatzis written for soprano, Middle Eastren singer (alto), choir and orchestra in four movements. Christos Hatzis, whose Christian Orthodox background informs much of his work, has also been influenced by the fascinating writings of the renowned American prophet and psychic, Edgar Cayce (1877-1945). Cayce spoke on various occasions about the meaning of the Great Pyramid at Giza and the connection he saw between it and the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. Following Hatzis' visit to Egypt, he began work on the piece, knowing that his experience in Egypt "would find its way into the music at various levels, from the surface sound to the work's deeper spirit”. Maryem is featured in the third movement - Mirrh Bearer - which refers to Mary Magdalene, whose inner conflict and divided nature are represented by two different types of music: a variation of an Orthodox encomium, and a gypsy-like section. The alto solo voice part was created specifically for Maryem, and is sung with an emotional, passionate, improvisational quality.

Constantinople - Vocalist in this work by electro-acoustic and new music
composer Christos Hatzis. Maryem joins Patricia O'Callaghan and The Gryphon Trio in this ambitious work that had its workshop performance as part of the Music Toronto Series in October 2000 and the full multi-media show was premiered in Banff in July 2004, and will be performed at Toronto's Premiere Dance Theatre in November of 2004.

14 Remembered - Vocalist and co-composer in this Millennium Fund sponsored project. The oratorio commemorates the lives of the 14 women murdered in the Montreal massacre of December 6, 1989. It had its world premier in Toronto's Massey Hall on December 6, 2000 and has led an active performing life ever since.

Sable/Sand - Featured vocalist and co-composer of this Dora award winning fusion of modern dance and Arabic music. Sable/Sand, collaboration with co-composer Ahmed Hassan and choreographer Serge Benathan, has been performed across Canada, the United States, Morocco, Brazil, and Greece since its creation in 1994.

And more…
Maryem Tollar has sung on a wide array of film, television, advertising, and CD projects from wrestling documentaries to feature films, including 'Extraordinary Visitor' and 'Such A Long Journey', a number of very successful “Solitudes” cds, and Lenny Gallant’s “Lifelines” recording.

Compositions
In addition to her work outlined above, Maryem Tollar has composed for a number of other projects including 'CHOL', a 20 minute dance piece, co-composed with Ernie Tollar for choreographer Hari Krishnan, which had its premiere at the Canada Dance Festival 2000 in Ottawa, two National Film Board documentary soundtracks with Roula Said, and, a piece for voices and drums, co-composed with Ritesh Das for The Toronto Tabla Ensemble's last recording. She has composed music for Le Theatre Francais' production of "Le Collier d'Helene" with husband Ernie Tollar in the fall 2004.

Training
Arabic music
Singing lessons with Walaa' Hamdy & Dr. Alfred Gamil, Cairo, Egypt, January
- March 2003
Singing and oud lessons with Dr. Atif, Zamalek Music College, Cairo, Egypt,
January-April 2001
Singing lessons with Mohsen Farouk, Cairo Opera House, March and April, 2001
Qur'anic Recitation with Sheikh Abdullah Bayoumi, Al-Azhar, Cairo, Egypt,
December 2000 & January 2001
Arabic Singing Lessons & Qanun Lessons with Dr. George Sawa in Toronto since 1994
Arabic Music Retreat with Simon Shaheen, Dr. Jihad Racy and Marcel Khalife
South Hadley, Mass, August 1998, 1999 and 2000
Arabic Singing Lessons with Mahmoud Faris in Aleppo, Syria, April, May 1996
Oud Lessons with Abdil Rahim Agin in Aleppo, Syria, April, May 1996
Riqq Lessons with Walid Nurredin in Aleppo, Syria, April 1996

Jazz
International Jazz Workshop with Kenny Werner, Banff Alberta, May & June
1999
Vocal Jazz Workshop with Sheila Jordon & Jay Clayton, Banff Alberta, May
1999

Indian music
Indian Singing Lessons with Ashok Ramani in Madras, India, January 1998