the femous orchestra

an international artist collective based in Vienna

These ladiezz really are high voltage on stage! Addictive beats and viral grooves get everybody hooked and dancing. Simply put, a heck of a lot of fun and entertainment in one place!

Up to 25 women on stage advanced music from punk to funk - world - jazz - electronics performance... and more! Artists with roots in Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroun, Croatia, Ethiopia, Iran, Kenya, Nigeria, Serbia, U.K., Turkey, Venezuela Powerful singers, a soulful brass section, funky groovers - electronics and rap meeting Afroand Balkan roots a full power package with fancy performers on stage, presenting impressive songs written, arranged and produced by the artists themselves. Socially speaking, the aim of the orchestra is to bring a message of peace, diversity and intercultural co-operation on stage. The femous orchestra stands for the new Europe, where people from all cultures meet and live and work together. It is all about creating a new vision of the world. +++++ how it began The femous orchestra started in October 2010 as an experiment by simply uniting singers and instrumentalists living in Vienna to network, connect, get to know each other and rehearse together. The political statement of gaining female visibility related to the centenary of international womens day - was foundational to the orchestra premise. The first performances, launched in march 2011, included hymns like the the march of the women by Ethel Smyth. The conceptual repertory grew quickly. The deconstruction of the male music genre par excellence i.e. military marches was a first piece, debuting at the prestigious avant-garde Donaufestival in Krems. At the same time, the professional expertise in different music genres opened on stage in co-

operation with the Velvet Underground legend John Cale. Joining all these extraordinary jazz, funk, electronic and world music artists together gave the orchestra a very strong stage presence. At the opening of the Viennese Festival Wir sind Wien the femous orchestra successfully presented itself in all its diversity. Whats next The femous orchestra is working on an international festival tour for the upcoming fall/winter season, focusing on strong stage and musical performances. Selected femous artists are included in special projects such as f.i. an electronic project for Ars Electronica, which works on local roots being transformed into an international language. +++++ VIDEO CREDITS the femous orchestra live @ Michaelerplatz, Vienna opening: WIR SIND WIEN - Festival der Bezirke, june 1th 2011 solo voices: Clia Mara (Br/A) EsRap (Tr/A) Matilda Leko (Srb) Tania Saedi (Ir/A) Vro La Reine (Cam) chorus voices Anja Lazic (Cro) Hottensiah (Ken) Kathi Gabler (A) activists/ performers: Martha Labil (A) S-vaal (A) Ursula Napravnik (A) Zoraida Nieto (Vez) brass: Edith Lettner (A) Lisa Puhr (A) Michaela Rabitsch (A)

percussion: Andrea Schalk (A) Bisrat Melaku (Eth) guitar: Clia Mara (BR/A) bass: Maria Leuboldt (A) drums: Catharina Priemer (A) electronics: Sweet Susie (aka Susi Rogenhofer) (A) concept & production: clia mara, silvia jura, susi rogenhofer femous:platform for famous female culture femous.org Songs about female identity 1. march medley (comp: sweet susie / lyrics: esrap) 2. Valea me deus (comp & lyrics: clia mara) 3. beauty (comp: Tania Saedi) 4. Begon ya zal ( les filles de mon village) (comp: Vro la Reine) 5. Bei dir - bei mir (comp & lyrics: clia mara) +++++ A video by Susanne Luef (director) susanne.luef@gmx.at Martin Winter (camera) Lisa Geretschlger (editor) lisaZoeG@hotmail.com with friendly support by basiskultur Wien / WIR SIND WIEN - Festival der Bezirke basiskultur.at +++++ Contact find the femous orhcestra on facebook - youtube - flickr http://femousorchestra.blogspot.com/ contact@femous.at