JMI KlezFest Programme Outline 2009
modified July 28, 2009

General: KlezFest London music song and dance has as its main mission to be a fountain of knowledge of the tradition – giving all who seek it a good grounding in the repertoire, rhythm, style and ornamentation of klezmer music song and dance. It will also provide some context of where it all comes from in an atmosphere of intense activity, inspiration and pleasure.  It can also be a springboard for new creativity.

We welcome Ilana’s OUP book as a helpful handbook giving the context; describing the style and ornamentation; and having selected tunes with both scores and a CD.  Each student of instrumental music will be given Ilana’s book as part of their packs and it is hoped that faculty will avail themselves of its usefulness and use tunes from the book wherever applicable.  We have put some of the tunes and music on our Website www.jmi.org.uk so that as students register they will be able to download these tunes and practice them if they wish both by ear and looking at the notes. This will give an instant common repertoire for jams. We will also provide a book of new Yiddish songs for all song school attendees. For Yiddish dance we recommend the Website www.yiddishdance.com

Emphasis this year will be on outcomes and on empowering the participants to have more purchase on what they learn. Faculty will devise courses that continue and build over the week. They will guide and steer participants through the course with invitations to Frank and any other international faculty to provide particular input into each course on a particular timetabled day – thus giving all participants the opportunity of working with Frank in a structured and fruitful way. We aim to provide a clear framework, easy to navigate that will yet leave scope for flexibility within it.  

A particularly important aspect will be a course on
How to teach klezmer and run workshops – something very much needed in our mission to take klezmer out to the community and to music clubs arts venues schools and colleges.
On page 6 are comments from previous KlezFesters about what they found, what they particularly liked and what they took away from KlezFest.   

KlezFest Faculty:
Frank London leader
Christian Dawid, Sanna Moreike, Ilana Cravitz, Paul Tkachenko, Sophie Solomon, Abigail Wood, Ros Hawley also Jennifer Hamilton

Song School Faculty:
Polina Shepherd leader
Hilda Bronstein, Khayele Beer, Vivi Lachs for Yiddish song
Monica Acosta for Ladino Song, Stefan and Arjang Byron for Art Songs 

Dance Faculty:
Andreas Schmitges
Guy Schalom
Assistant Emma Stiman music

The timetable – Please see below what we envisage for content and outcomes of each period.
AM1 9:00 - 10:45 (one and three quarter hours Monday – Friday)
Dancing and then singing Nigunim all together
Outcome hoped for:
to understand the rhythm and style of the music by physically doing the dances for which much of it was made: and to understand the spiritual yearnings of the people through the nigunim/ zmirot.

This session is for everyone at KlezFest. After a short warm-up, Andreas Schmitges and Guy Schalom will lead you through some of the best loved Klezmer dances with a live dance band led by Christian Dawid and Sanne Moericke. (students wishing to participate in the dance band to please contact yvonne@jmi.org.uk)
This is followed by a half an hour session where everyone learns to sing a nign (a wordless melody). Frank London together with Polina Shepherd will take this as a continuous programme throughout the week.   

AM2 11:15 - 1:00 (one and three quarter hours Monday - Friday)
Klezmer Repertoire and technique Music options based on klezmer experience.
Outcome hoped for: each participant taken further in repertoire and technique on their klezmer journey.  Here we would offer focused ‘courses’ managed by a particular member of faculty – but with other members being invited to lead particular workshops within the course. Frank (and any other appropriate person) to be asked to do something specific in one session with each of the development courses. Other options for participants would be to join the song or dance strands.
Klezmer Development possible options based on klezmer experience.

1. What is klezmer 1: for newcomers to klezmer basic practical course in tunes, style and ornamentation with some contextual information. managed by Ros Hawley and Abigail Wood with contributions from other faculty members (Frank London on Thursday)
2. What is klezmer 2: for those that have some experience of klezmer how to develop instrumental technique – particularly strings, managed by Ilana Cravitz and Sue Web (Frank on Monday)
3. What is klezmer 3: for those that have more experience in klezmer - a specific repertoire or style based on Makam and Jazz (managed by Paul - Frank on Tuesday)
4. What is klezmer 4: for advanced and professional klezmer players – Christian Dawid runs a course based on Chassidic modes and style (Frank on Wednesday)
5. What is klezmer Dance Repertoire and how to play for dancing (Andreas and Guy with Emma leading the band). (Frank on Friday)

Song: Yiddish song masterclasses (Hilda and Polina with Jennifer hamilton and others) Singers wishing to take part in the Song Masterclass, should already have a good command of Yiddish and be ‘performance-ready’, as well as having a copy of the music for the piano accompanist.  Please contact Yvonne on y.glass@jmi.org.uk  if you would like to participate so we can timetable this.

PM1 2:15 - 3:45 (1.5 hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)
Ensemble Sessions
Outcome hoped for: each participant understands the mechanisms and processes needed to form and sustain a successful performing group. Emphasis in the ensembles sessions will be to expose students to how to create and run and to be a useful member of an ensemble – what choices have to be made on the type of music you want to present how to arrange and balance the melody and support instruments how listen to each other and to pass the melody between the players. Each student will be offered a turn at leading the ensemble – to show what is needed from a lead musician. Each ensemble will have a session with opera coach on stage presentation – all valuable lessons for those who may be encouraged to set up bands in the future. You may even like to choose a name for your ensemble and decide how you want to be dressed.  Singers and dancers may participate in instrumental ensembles or form dedicated dance ensembles.  Singers have a Repertoire class at this time. On Friday afternoon each ensemble will share with the others what they have learned during the week.

Ensemble 1
Ros for beginners in klezmer that want to work slowly with others at a similar stage ‘Getting Comfortable with Klezmer’: - we'll work to explore being comfortable playing within a mode, using basic ornamentation, getting used to playing by ear, and making improvising less scary!, listening and responding to each other to make the music as we go

Ensemble 2
Sanne a mixed ability group working on traditional klezmer

Ensemble 3 
Paul a mixed ability group any instruments using klezmer tunes with technology to experiment with sounds from instruments (real or home made)  laptops, microphones, vegetables and people (beat box, throats, etc). 

Ensemble 4
Christian a mixed ability group working on Chasidic €themes

Ensemble 5
Frank an ensemble for professional klezmorim

Ensemble 6:
Andreas Guy  Emma Creative Dance ensemble for players, singers and dancers

Yiddish song repertoire–Hilda  Bronstein

PM2 4.15 – 5.30 (1.25 hours Monday, Tuesday and Thursday)
Choices:  How to teach klezmer; KlezFest Choir;
Percussion Ensemble, instrumental technique and
Band Masterclasses

Outcomes hoped for: The confidence and number of workshop leaders around the county will increase after taking part in the How to teach klezmer and run workshops in the community course run by Ilana Cravitz and Ros Hawley, using Ilana’s book as aresource.

Apart from the How to Teach course in this session, Polina Shepherd will be running her popular choir with special and exciting compositions by Polina herself which you will get a chance to perform on Friday.

For budding percussionists, or those who want to let their hair down and vent their energy Guy Schalom will be leading a Percussion workshop – bring something to bang for this.

Also Band Masterclass Frank + where Klezmer bands attending KlezFest will be invited to perform before a Faculty panel who will work with the band to improve their performance.
Other options: brush up on instrumental techniques
With

Intensive study of instrumental  style /technique
V221 accordion Sanne Möricke
V120 Brass Paul Tkachenko
V326 Plucked strings Andreas Schmitges
V325 Strings Sue Web Sally Russell
V223 Winds  Emma Stiman  
Dance – no dance programmed
 

PM3  5.30 – 6.45 (1 hr 15mins Monday, Tuesday and Thursday)

Klezmer – How to Teach. Here you can continue your studies with Ilana and Ros – a wonderful chance for would-be teachers to have a block of concentrated time in which to learn and hone their knowledge, ready to take out to the communities in the UK and further afield!
Grand Klezmer Orchestra: experience the joy of being a part of a large ensemble, from playing melody to the all important secund and other support sections.

Learn Ladino songs of the Sephardi Jews with Monica Acosta  (right)

Study Chassidic music with Abbi Wood – for singers, dancers or instrumentalist to enlarge your cultural  boundaries.
In this class we will explore Hasidic music in depth. We will learn some more nigunim, will consider the roles Hasidic material plays in traditional and contemporary klezmer music, and will explore the background of this repertory, including an introduction to Hasidic philosophical ideas about music and music in the contemporary Hasidic world. This class is suitable for both instrumentalists and vocalists.
Dancers: can learn not only the dances but also how to lead them.

Wednesday Afternoon is different …
 
(The Wednesday morning sessions (AM1 and AM2) are as normal, except for a repertoire class at Song School in AM2 with Vivi Lachs on Yiddish songs of London’s East End, (instead of the usual masterclass at this time).  On Wednesday early afternoon we depart for the established routine to bring you special presentations from some superb performers from 2.30 – 4.00pm.

She'koyokh Klezmer Ensemble ,
Directions in Klezmer; geography and style.
Members of She’koyokh will perform tunes from their new album demonstrating cross-over between klezmer and other eastern styles.  They will introduce traditional folk styles from countries such as Romania and Bulgaria through live demonstration and using recorded samples.  They will show how they have incorporated these styles in fusing them with well-known klezmer melodies.
She’koyokh has been performing high quality klezmer music for seven years.  They are one of the most popular Jewish wedding bands in the UK and have several recording credits for BBC television and radio.  They have toured Europe and the UK and performed a concerto for klezmer band and orchestra at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.  Festival appearances include Glastonbury, Broadstairs, Edinburgh and the Jewish Cultural Festival in Krakow.  She’koyokh was awarded first prize at the International Jewish Music Festival competition held in Amsterdam in 2008.  Their 2009 concert appearances include the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and Garsington Opera.  Their album ‘Sandanski’s chicken’ is released on the ARC label
For Song School our veterans Stephan and Arjang Byron, will present a session on Jewish Art Songs in Yiddish, Hebrew and Ladino with a chance to learn three well known songs arranged for voice and piano by classical composers.

Then you have a break before Klezmer Klimax! On Wednesday evening starting at 7.30pm at the Jazz Café in Camden Town (5 Parkway London NW1 7PG – nearest tube Camden Town or the number 214 bus from Pentonville Road). Entry is free to KlezFest students, but £15 tickets available on the door to your friends and family.

(Programme subject to change)

What previous students have said about KlezFest London 
What they found:

1. Five days of challenging, involving, rewarding, music making with a bunch of great people!
2. A staggeringly impressive, life-changing week
3. Total immersion technique. Very effective.
4. I found exactly what I was looking for in this Klezfest: a high musical quality, very talented faculty members, very nice organisers
5. I felt welcomed and stimulated by the creative and nourishing environment
6. It was great fun. I enjoyed every minute of it
7. The best holiday, I spent quality time in structured and unstructured settings
8. wonderful, buzzy atmosphere
9. the friendliest, most open and lively summer school I have attended
10. I felt totally exhilarated by the emotional and musical experience  
11. It’s like a surge of energy that will motivate me for the close future.
12. I am still in an energetic and creative flow three weeks later
13.  dedicated and approachable artists/teachers
14. Fascinating and very intense – both musically and as a way of re-connecting with my family history

What they specially liked: 

15. I loved the near non-stop schedule of singing, dancing, playing, jamming, learning, eating and drinking.
16. I particularly enjoyed the communal singing at the start of the day. 
17. sharing the enthusiasm of others teachers and students
18. deeply impressed by the melting experiences of music, dancing, singing (nigunim) and by the co-operation among the instrumental faculty.
19. It’s not just about the music, the atmosphere is what draws people as well.
20. Being together with people in a team, a group, sharing a vibe and a feeling.
21. It felt like being surrounded by a warm and loving family! Music was great  
22. The opportunity to work with Frank London was an extraordinary musical experience from me. It has altered my musical boundaries! He IS music!!
23. I like dancing, this allows us to learn what are the rhythms that ground the music.
24. I’m really impressed that you sent CD of tunes prior to course(even though we only used them v marginally in lessons). Hope you can do so again next year. So important when emphasis is very strongly on learning by ear.
25. the teachers mostly both passionate about their music/dance and of a very high standard
26. KlezFest is a truly positive place in hope of a truly positive future

What people came away with:

27. I came away uplifted and inspired!
28. hugely valuable insight into Jewish music, tradition and culture, which I believe will change my whole approach to music
29. not only a wealth of new music and techniques, but also a renewed outlook on life and music in general.
30. I made a lot of contacts
31. I have learnt very much about the music but also about the culture and the people. 
32. Now I know what I don’t know and I should know
33. tremendously positive impact on my own playing
34. I now have a wider range of dances to offer. 
35. A new way to play klezmer, to play the violin.
36. KlezFest unlocks emotions and stimulates me to carry on playing my instrument.
37. expected just music but found culture, history, warmth and friendship
38. I got fresh insight, new ideas, improve my technique and enjoy ensemble work with others
39. I learnt a lot but it was more about playing with others and working with others
40. the potential for us to improve in our own time
41. My Klez soul, mayn yiddishe neshama, has been refreshed with such verve, panache and an intensity that is rather rare in my jaded life.

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