Aviva Chernick Music

Those who have experienced Aviva Chernick’s intoxicatingly soulful vocals never forget where they heard them first. Whether in her, CFMA nominated, self-titled project of original devotional songs When I Arrived You Were Already There, as the former lead singer with the two-time Juno Award-nominated world music ensemble Jaffa Road, or singing the Balkan Judeo-Spanish repertoire, Aviva’s passionate voice blurs the lines between sacred and secular.

Writing, recording and touring an original combination of world music sung in Hebrew, Ladino, English and French, this multi-lingual singer collaborates with some of Canada’s best world music makers as well as international virtuosos such as Yair Dalal and Frank London. With each performance, whether for 40 people at a house concert or for 1000 at a music festival, audiences are moved and delighted by Aviva’s authentic presence and ease on stage.
As well as her ongoing musical collaborations, Aviva studied with ‘American Treasure’ and Sephardic musician Flory Jagoda, the first Canadian supported by an official apprenticeship from Viriginia Folk Life and Virginia University.

Aviva’s collaborative recordings have garnered nominations and awards including a Canadian Folk Music Award (CFMA) Nomination for her recent release When I Arrived You Were Already There, JUNO nominations for both of Jaffa Road’s albums Where The Light Gets In (2012) and Sun Place (2010), and two more CFMA Nominations for Where The Light Gets In and The Huppah Project's Under the Canopy (2009). Aviva and her co-writers from Jaffa Road won the John Lennon International Songwriting Grand Prize for their rendition of "Lo Yisa Goy", a prayer for peace. She also co-wrote "Sim Shalom" which was selected by CBC Radio 1 (Canada’s national broadcaster) for Here & Now (Toronto)’s “Song of the Week” and co-writer for "Ana El Na" which received an industry nod from OCFF (Ontario Council of Folk Festivals), winning the prestigious “Songs From the Heart” award.

Aviva is also a Ba'alat Neginah (Prayer leader) and meditation teacher leading contemplative practice in silence and song in and around Toronto and as a guest with communities across North America.