Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Recent North American Tour

Here is a series of posts about each of the stops on my tour: Toronto, Chicago, Cleveland, Maryland, and Manhattan. By the end of these postings I hope to have some brilliant insights on the overall experience. I'm sure I"ll be seeing the forest any day now. Meanwhile, I still feel like I'm moving through the desert, tho I'm back in the Holy Land. Chodesh Tov!
Tziona Achishena

a fun jam with some high school girls in Toronto
 

March, 2013 North American Tour: Toronto

 I started out the tour in snowy Toronto. We were glad to get a good crowd considering that there was about a foot and a half of newly fallen snow outside! As I looked into the deep and present  eyes of the women in front of me, I felt that special magic feeling of G-d putting the words in my mouth, of tapping in to Beyond. Leah Bassett did an amazing job organizing; the place was beautiful, the lights magical, the sound divine. A highlight of the show was definitely Leah and Kari Issacson dancing to my song "Lo Gava Libi". I often hear about women doing dance performances to my songs but rarely get to see that myself, and it brought me a lot of joy, as well as a big hug from the dancers!
 Below is another big hug from the women's dancing circle. Hearts were open and women were reaching out to each other. Thanks to Rhonda (our host) and her beautiful family for being the most gracious and loving friend to me and Doda to baby Shlomo. I was able to really let go and relax in her home, some much needed r and r and a shabbes that I had been fantasizing about since last time.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Return to the Land of Your Soul

here we are in this beautiful time of year...the 10 days of tsuvah. a time of reconnecting to our real selves and souls, awakening, reaching out...and in. the subtle world of G-d fills the spaces within. A special birthday night, surrounded by the gentle waters of the Kinneret, wondering...could this be Miriam's Well? A place where kindess embraces us, and we are softened and made new.
on tap for this time:
* weekly class in Tzafnat with the beautiful young women of Israel: drums, clarinet, and flutes abound
* celestial Rosh Hashanah singing circle
* singing with a few hundred girls at a school near Haifa
have the most joyous and sweet new year!

redemption time

photo from an uplifting concert in Pittsburg with music by Tziona Achishena and visuals by Sheva Chaya...and all the women and girls dancing together!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011




B"H




Koli el Hashem: My Voice to G-d


New CD from Tziona Achishena!


Vocal music for the Omer Count and Av! Simplicity and depth: voice is the only instrument on this album of Hebrew chants and prayers, layering in moving harmony and rhythmic sounds, reaching up to heaven.

Order physical CDs from Tziona (koltziona@gmail.com) or download from http://www.cdbaby.com/ (tziona achishena)


glorious cover artwork by Sheva Chaya www.shevachaya.com








POST TOUR NEWS!


Carlebach Shul, NYC



Sharon, MA





Sharon, MA





Chicago





Carlebach Shul, NYC






Chabad, San Francisco




B"H

Hey Holy Sisters!
We're still trying to give over in words the experience of our Pre Pesach tour. It's so beyond....

We landed in Chicago where the wonderful Ariella Levi received us with so much love and appreciation! My beautiful family, Auntie Marcia and Uncle Michael, took us out for a delicious dinner. Cousin Andy, a lighting expert, donated the pink and purple lights for the concert, which along with the projected images and the new sound system, created a magical effect that drew the women present into another dimension, ending with some beautiful dancing and a spirit of gratitude and longing for Eretz Yisrael and geula! Ariella showed some dancing moves sprinkled with Tai Kwan Do....she is a martial arts champion and master of bringing down holy gatherings. The next motzei shabbes the women of their community got together to dance to Tziona Achishena's music. (such nachas...) Hope to see you all soon!

From there we flew to Northern California for a beautiful Shabbes with our dear friends in Berkeley. An artshow for Sheva Chaya at Afikomen warmed us up for the concert that night at Chabad, SF, which was, in two words, the HIGHEST! All different types of women blasted off together from the first note into a world of prayer. Words of the songs woven into the projection made the Hebrew accessible to everyone. There was a trememdous energy and not holding back! I felf like I was flying through the stratospheres, improvising blissfully on the solid wave of sound produced by the holy sisters. It felt like a big big light in the darkness. My little (big Neshama) niece Kamille sang with me and hugged me for half the night. It was great to see my sister again after four long years!!!!!! We also got to see Sheva Chaya's brother, his wife, and their new beautiful baby who we both fell in love with. Yashar Coach to Nechama Shaina and her mother the holy Rebbetzin. I was able to share a song I wrote her about my first Shabbes ever, which was at her house. Shine on!

Beautiful Sharon, Mass. was our next destination; a little Jewish haven in the foresty NEast. So many holy sisters, longing for the real thing. The setting was lovely....a huge screen giving over the colors and beauty of Sheva Chaya's artwork. The women were just waiting to sing along. We started with a guided imagery session about the water palace in Rebbe Nachman's story, picturing ourselves going deeper and deeper through the gates in the walls of the palace until we reached our souls on the innermost level. Eventually we all got up and danced. There was a wonderful energy of gratitude that permeated the air. Leah and friends, Yashar Coach for bringing it down! Thanks to Ziesal and Hendi for hacnasat orchim and sweet friendship.

On to NYC, with many holy helpers on the way, including the guy that helped us get from the train to the cab (no small feat), whose name was Saint! My sweet Dad met up with us to help us get around. Joey the angel and her roomate offered their apartment as a landing pad...much appreciated! And the Carlebach Shul! What an honor! I could hear the holy melodies inside the walls, calling out...sing me! Sing Me! What I remember most was the feeling of readiness from the women...we are ready, take us with you! Such a sweet and divine vibration. Zion Train (my alter ego...Bob Marley's imaginary convert granddaughter) was delighted to meet the woman from Jamaica who sang ONE LOVE with her. We all danced and sang and praised Hashem for the awesome privelege of getting together. Chasya, you are an angel. Thanks to the Holy Rabbi Naftali for making it possible for us to come!

We spent the last day with my Dad and my oldest friend, Dina. It was a much needed, very short, day off from the intensity of all the travel and gigs, a chance to be grateful and simple for the awesome opportunity that Hashem blessed us with, connecting deeply and in such a real way with so many holy souls, sharing our own created offerings of songs and artwork, and collaborating in the creation of a new vibration...what happens when women get together to sing, dance, and tap into joy and prayer. Thanks to all our friends and everyone who help make it possible, donating time, house, and love. It was wonderful to reconnect to old friends, and see new babies and growth. Thanks to Hashem who has sustained us and brought us to this time. B"H video and plans for the next tour to come, B"H.
All our love,

Tziona Achishena and Sheva Chaya

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Miriam's Drum on the Road

We are going on tour! Our multimedia performance will be reaching Chicago, San Francisco, Sharon, MA, and NYC! We are excited and looking forward to connecting with old and new friends, beloved sisters, some still unknown! Sheva Chaya will be projecting her visionary artwork, while I (Tziona Achishena) will be singing, drumming, and getting ready for Pesach with spiritual cleaning...from the inside out! This time is so special...we really feel the power of newness, purification, and freedom coming down into the world. This concert tour is a chance to connect to this energy in a positive way, keeping our eyes on the prize and Seder night approaches. It gives us a chance to breathe, sing, celebrate, dance, and connect to each other and to our creator, reaffirming our heart connection and coming back to our true selves.

We hope to see you there!
love,
Tziona Achishena