Klezfest - What is it?
posted 18 June 2004

Academy for Klezmer Music
Klezfest is like an Academy for Klezmer Music, (also Yiddish Language and Jewish song - see below) with a clear curriculum following from day to day. The top-drawer American faculty is led by Alan Bern and we also have great budding teachers from the UK and a contingent of Eastern European composers, singers and musicians, reconnecting with the roots of the music.

Music in Advance
We circulate to students in advance, some material chosen by the tutors so we don't spend so much time in KlezFest learning the tunes - and when it comes to jamming at night, everyone knows the repertoire.

Special Topic for Each Day
There is a different topic to be tackled each day. After the opening dance session for all, with the Dance Band led by the incomparable Merlin Shepherd, (9.15am) there will be a short talk by one member of the faculty. Michael Alpert will give the first one on 'genres', Christian Dawid will give the second on 'interpreting written sources', Jeff Warschauer will give the third on' rhythm', and Deborah Strauss will give the fourth on 'phrasing'.

Hands On Sessions, Instrumental Tuition and Ensemble Training
Then we go off and do hands-on playing about what we have danced to and spoken about. After a nice snack lunch usually taken in the sunshine on the lawn outside, there is instrumental tuition and then students sign up for ensembles of a particular style as offered by members of the faculty. Students can also offer to lead particular ensembles.

Choir - or Question and Answer
The last session of the day is choir - or for those who don't fancy this there will be a question and answer session with some of the faculty on hand or some tutors like to use that time for extra tuition. We also offer masterclasses for existing bands that attend the course.

Beginners and Experienced
As we already have accomplished graduates as well as new beginners we will be accommodating the needs of both groups so no one feels sidelined or bored. We expect between 80 - 100 musicians including sousaphones and tsimbls.

Serious Fun
I hope this does not sound too serious, because it is actually a huge amount of fun and the students seem to love every minute.

Regents Park
We have a great Day in Regents Park on the opening day, Sunday 8th August with a picnic lunch and teaching the public klezmer tunes in the attempt to have the biggest Klezmer band in the UK. And we teach Yiddish songs and dances to hundreds. That night we are having a combined jam with the Rebetiko Summer School at SOAS.

Jewish Song School
What is special this year, is that we are having a complete parallel course for professional and amateur singers. Not only is there outstanding tuition and wonderful role models in Yiddish song with Adrienne Cooper as Song School Director and Shura Lipovsky (Amsterdam) as assistant, but we are also offering an introduction to and workshops in Judeo Spanish song with Yvonne Behar, Judeo Arabic song with Sara Manasseh, Berlin Cabaret with Alexandra Yaron and Jewish Art song with Ruti Halvani.

Ot Azoy! Yiddish Crash Course
The previous week (1-6 August) we have the most wonderful
one-week intensive Yiddish course - Ot Azoy!. Many students come for both weeks, intending to make their fiddles and clarinets sound more Jewish.

Khayele Beer from University College London says she will teach you to 'Speak, read and write Yiddish in a week, and by gosh she and Pesakh Fiszman (new York) and Sonya Pinkasovitz (Brussels) certainly prove that this is possible. For this you can be a complete beginner that does not even know that Yiddish is written in the Hebrew Alphabet, and we can also cope with those that are fluent Yiddishists.

The mornings are intensive language study and the afternoons Yiddish song, interviews with famous Yiddishist, Yiddish Films and other cultural events. (For singers being at Ot Azoy! is so important to learn the language, vocabulary and pronunciation).

Concert
The Strauss Warschauer Duo will be giving a concert at the University of London as part of Ot Azoy!

If I could attempt a comparison, (and there are many on the list that could corroborate or disagree and add other comments) the JMI KlezFest is London University based, and is a serious Jewish music training, for instrumentalists, singers and dancers rather than the kind of family holiday event that is the delightful North American Model. I look forward to seeing those on the list who have already booked, and perhaps also some newcomers. If you want someone else's view, take a look at listerAbbi Wood's report on the last KlezFest London.

For any queries, please don't hesitate to contact us.