Coro Popolare “OMFALOS”
Directed by Matilde Politi and Simona Di Gregorio (Sicily)
The Omfalos’s Choir is born within the project “Voci della Tradizione” (Voices of Tradition), dedicated to the enhancement and recovery of traditional music repertoires in Sicily. In the rich oral tradition of Sicily, especially concerning vocal repertoire, choral singing represents an undervalued and almost entirely unused aspect. Its variety and richness recall a cultural world that has now disappeared, reminiscent of values that are difficult to find in contemporary times: the joy of community, sharing emotions, hardships, pains, and the intertwining of vibrations around shared forms that always leave space for individual creation. A formula of positive interaction, effective collective action.
The choir is mainly composed of non-professionals and will present, for the MWF, a research project led by directors Matilde Politi and Simona Di Gregorio. The goal is to recover, along with the repertoires and techniques of polyphonic singing in Sicily, the contents and social value of music as a “collective technology” to create aggregation and sharing.
Matilde Politi, born in Palermo, with a degree in Cultural Anthropology from Sapienza University of Rome, works between music and theater. Her theatrical training took place at the Pontedera Teatro Foundation. She collaborates on numerous theatrical productions as an actress, singer, and musician, as well as the creator of musical parts and vocal trainer for actors. Since 2000, she has chosen to focus exclusively on research into the repertoire of Sicilian oral tradition, extending to traditional music from the Mediterranean area. She has to her credit the albums: Sugnari, Trio Ma’arìa, A Tirannia, Si eseguono riparazioni dell’anima, Folksongs from Sicily, D’amuri, gilusia, spartenza e sdegnu. In 2010, she won the XI edition of the Teresa Viarengo Award, and in 2012, she performed in the official selection of Babel Med Music – 8th World Music Forum Marseille.
Simona Di Gregorio, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. She is the composer of the music for the film “Acqua fuori dal ring” by Joel Stangle. She sings and arranges the music in “Dedicato a Rosa Balistreri,” recorded by the group I Beddi. The release of “Erdring,” the first CD of the trio Luftig, is recent. She has collaborated and recorded for: Matilde Politi e Compagnia Bella, Biagio Guerrera, Rita Botto, Terrae, Luigi Di Pino, Miriam Palma, ‘Na Maravigghia, I Beddi, Secoli Bui. She has performed in numerous concerts in Italy, Europe, and Africa. She conducts workshops on traditional Sicilian singing.
