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LIBANA'S 2023 YEAREND APPEAL

PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY!

Dear friends,

Libana’s artistry has always sought to connect, heal, transform and inspire. For decades, the essence of Libana has illuminated the spirit of the sacred feminine through the powerful songs and dances of women’s communities around the world, as well as through rounds and chants that express our intertwined connection to the Earth and to each other . . . all creatively woven together into a vision of compassionate healing, women’s empowerment, and global peace. 

I know we are all saddened and profoundly troubled by the unfathomable violence and conflict we are witnessing on our planet, the political strife here in our country, and the ever more frequent natural disasters driven by climate-change. It feels like our world is unravelling, and it is hard to know how to have an impact on the complex realities we collectively face. As musicians, our first response is to create music. 

We are deeply compelled to create new music for our worldwide listeners at this critical time for all of whom Earth is home. We are excited to announce that Libana is currently preparing to record two new songs in early February. In this first recording project since 2019, you will find us expanding into new directions. The first song will be an extended, multi-layered meditative chant, invoking the sacred feminine to rise into power for the healing of our world. The second brings us into an exciting new collaboration with eight other talented singers, creating a larger sound for a passionate call to protect our Earth. 

“In a time when there is so much painful discord, Libana joyfully shares love around the world.” 

“Your music reaches through my heart, deep into my soul, and pulls out tears of compassion.” 

“May you continue to toss your beautiful path of petals all around the world.” 

“Your music enlarges the soul.” 

Your generous tax-deductible yearend contribution to Libana will support the re-emergence of our creative spirit and healing musical vision for our planet! 

It has always been true that the collective soul turns to the arts in times of discord, pain, and stress – longing for a different way of seeing, a different path forward. We look forward to releasing this new music infused with the depth and wisdom of this stage in our lives, born of our heart response to the challenging state of this big, beautiful world. 

So much of what Libana has given globally was made possible by you! The support of our loyal listeners has seen Libana through decades of musicmaking, touring, performance and recording. We extend our deepest gratitude for your continued support as we create new music and sing into the future. 

With hope for an increasingly just and peaceful world this Winter Solstice, 

Susan Robbins, Libana’s Founder and Artistic Director 

Please read on to hear about other Libana news and projects!

 

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MUSINGS FROM LIBANA’S SUSAN ROBBINS . . . NEWS, THOUGHTS, AND UPDATES

Recorded music now effortlessly reaches listeners around the world by just a click on a screen. Over the last month on Spotify alone, there have been over 60,000 streams of Libana’s songs by listeners not only from the U.S., but from Brazil, India, Ukraine, Jordan, Rwanda, Kazakhstan and beyond. On a daily basis, Libana’s musical essence appears to be nourishing a visionary global web of music-lovers who share our hope that just and lasting peace must be compassionately created even in the harshest of circumstances. There is a worldwide community of listeners who share our awareness of the beautiful, essential interconnection of all living beings, and our love of the Earth as a living entity who must be protected and healed. We are so moved by the fact that the full collection of Libana’s recorded music continues to have an impact on the global soul, and look forward to releasing our powerful new recordings soon to continue connecting, healing, empowering and inspiring listeners everywhere. For us, it is through singing that we keep our molecules aligned, our hope alive, our souls nourished, and our vision clear –responding to what we are experiencing in today’s world by creating music that supports and seeds the visionary energy field that we believe in. 

At the same time Libana moves forward with new recording projects, we continue our multiyear archiving process of Libana’s herstory in conjunction with the collaborative effort between the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe and the Loeb Music Library at Harvard. We have made great headway with the mammoth task of reviewing our last four decades on so many intertwined levels. There is still more archival work to be done by our small nonprofit arts organization, and more important videos and cassettes to be digitized . . .a costly process. Again, we ask you for your continued support as we head to the home stretch of this long project. The archived story of Libana – as experienced through papers, emails, digital files, cassettes, videos, cds, dvds, and photos – will soon be housed at Radcliffe and Harvard! 

We hope you have seen our release announcement for Live Roots . . . The Early Years – a remastered compilation of our first two commercial live concert recordings from 1982 and 1983, released at the time on cassette – the “White Tape” (vol. 1) and the “Blue Tape” (vol. 2). That pioneering, transformational, powerfully feminist era in Cambridge, MA forged the roots of Libana’s communal musical identity. The palpable excitement and passionate energy of the times – combined with the groundbreaking joy of creating with an ensemble of singing sisters – infused the sound of live concerts in those early years, inspiring the spirit-filled musical path of Libana for decades to come. Sharing exhilarating songs from women around the world (researched and learned in a pre-internet era), playing fiery instrumental international folk melodies, and singing while weaving Balkan dances up and down the aisles – all gave voice to women’s creativity across time and cultures. Four decades later, listening to the youthful, dynamic, exuberant power of Libana’s large group sound in live performance creates a soulful, sonic perspective of the arc of Libana’s artistry and mission through the years. 

Download Live Roots . . . The Early Years and all our music!   

Libana’s CD Through the Darkness. . . Songs for the Winter Solstice and beyond makes a special gift of healing music at this time of year. Click here to purchase copies for your family and friends!