Mind Crossing performance in Munich by Tal Gur and Jasmin Avissar

Mind Crossing performance in Munich!
Sunday 1.7.2018, 17:00
It started behind the Kunstpavillon Munich,
Sophienstr. 7a | 80333 München

A powerful multi-disciplinary performance fusing music, dance, video, and documentary, Mind Crossing tells the story of one family’s heartbreaking loss and struggle to emigrate during the Holocaust. Based on a collection of letters which musician Tal Gur’s grandfather wrote after World War II, the piece features Hebrew songs translated to English, alongside free improvisation and progressive jazz.

Tal Gur | Saxophone, Compositions, Sound Design
Jasmin Avissar | Choreography, Dance
Herbert Königshofer | Saxophone, Percussions
László Benedek | Dance

“Gur’s work is a look into the opposing emotions that we all wrestle with.”
Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz Magazine

Please join us for a panel discussion after the performance.

About the Performers

Tal Gur’s musical identity emerged while watching and listening to aircrafts take off and land at the air force base where he grew up. Located in the heart of the pastoral fields of Jezreel Valley in Israel, Gur began his musical journey where many reed players do, by playing the recorder, and probably the aspects of exhaling/creating sound, combined with the music he heard at home pulled him toward the saxophone. After moving out to a small town nearby, he began playing the saxophone. Over time Gur was drawn strongly to the world of improvisation, free expression and poetry. Gradually he taught himself to play the piano, guitar, bass, drums and started to write and compose songs. After military service, he studied sound techniques in Tel-Aviv and later on moved to Jerusalem to study at the music academy.

Gur has performed on many stages in Israel, Europe and the United States with groups such as: MarshDondurma (Tel-Aviv jazz festival 2008, Israel Festival 2008, Rijeka jazz festival in Croatia, 2008, The international jazz festival Eilat 2010), Judy Lewis quartet (three residencies at the Pizza Express jazz club, Soho, London 2004-2005, Tel-Aviv jazz festival 2006), What Cheer? Brigade (Newport folk festival 2011). Additional works include: Shlomo Gronich, Shlomo Yidov, Alon Oleartchic, Dan Toren, Shaanan Street, Efrat Gosh to name a few. The ongoing urge to understand the inner world and the connection to music, combined with the urge to assist people who are in need of support, brought Gur to pursue a Master’s degree in music therapy. In 2010, he relocated to the United States, expanding his journey as a musician and as a music therapist. Gur’s newest work “mind crossing” is a multidisciplinary project that combines music, video, text and dance. It is based on a collection of letters that Gur’s grandfather wrote after the holocaust, telling the story of a reconstruction of life and relationships.

Jasmin Avissar was born in Jerusalem, Israel, graduated with honors the Jerusalem Academy of music and dance. Student of Nina Timofeeva (former Prima Ballerina of Bolshoi Theater) and a co-founder of the Jerusalem Ballet Company and School (2004).
Worked as a dancer with the choreographers: Joseph Tmim, Joseph Jungman, Thomas Mcmanus, Jean-Loup Jordan, Boris Nebyla, Robert Sher-Machherndl. Natalia Horecna As an Assitant-Choreographer with: Jean-Loup Jordan, Jean Guilalume Bart, Boris Nebyla, Natalia Horecna, Evelyn Teri. A a choreographer: ”Rechnitz” (2016) theater piece by Miloš Lolić at Volkstheater Wien, “Ninth Fort” (2016) collaboration with the musician Tal Gur, “Niemandsland” (2013-15, 2016) theater piece by Yael Ronen at Schauspielhaus Graz/Volkstheater , “Archaeopteryx” (2014-5) solo work Auf Tasten und Spitze: collaboration with the composer and pianist Oliver Peter Graber, “Der Schneemann” (2014) full length ballet production for the Ballettakademie der Wiener Staatsoper. As a ballet teacher and coach : Ballettakademie und Jungekompanie der Wiener Staatsoper (Austria), Teatro Argentino de la Plata (Argentine),
Jerusalem Ballet (Israel).

László Benedek was born in Kazincbarcika, Hungary. After his education as ballett dancer at the Hungarian Dance Academy in Budapest he joined the Győri Balett. Here performed the Salamanda in Gustavo Ramirezs „Gaudi”, solo in the Robert Norths „Death and the Maiden”, solo in Marie Brolin-Tanis „Hamlet” and solo in Ben Von Covenbergs „Chaplin”. He won a Keresztes Mária Award in 2006. In 2012 László Benedek was engaged by the Ballet of Wiener Staatsoper und Volksoper working with choreographers such as: Lehrer Lämpel , Michael Kropfs , Vesna Orlic, András Lukácss , Thierry Malandens and Andrey Kaydanovskiy.