KlezFest / Song School / Dance Strand
Sunday 8 - Friday 13 August 2010
Frank London conducting the big orchestra
KlezFest is a stimulating week of intensive, inspirational workshops and
Masterclasses. Led by top professionals in the field from all over the
world, it offers a packed programme for amateur and professional musicians,
singers and dancers from classical and folk backgrounds from Britain,
Europe and further afield.
‘The week was dramatically important to me. As you said it would,
it fed my soul. I learned, danced, sang, played my instrument, played
in ensembles. I met fabulous people and spent quality time in structured
and unstructured settings. Plus it was FUN FUN FUN!’ (Philadelphia)
There are distinct strands for instrumental klezmer music, Yiddish song and Yiddish dance. Participants may choose a particular strand – or combine classes in music, song and dance.
Andreas Schmitges leads the dancers to live klezmer music
‘I felt deeply impressed by the melting experiences of music,
dancing, singing (nigunim) and by the co-operation among the instrumental
faculty’
Polina shepherd listens to Bella Kerridge singing songs of her hometown in Akerman, Poland.
Hirsh and Jill Cashdan sing their hearts out.
KlezFest Performance opportunities
There are performance opportunities for visiting bands such as our famous ‘Klezmer: The Next Generation’ on Tuesday night, warm-up bands for the faculty concert Klezmer Klimax! on Wednesday and the final party on Thursday night.
Band Masterclasses
Visiting bands can sign up for masterclasses in musical arrangement and presentation by Frank London and members of the faculty
Registration
Register here for KlezFest, Song School or the dance strand.
Registration for KlezFest, Song School and the Dance Strand: Sunday 8 August 10.30am
Monday to Friday workshops and activities: 9:00am to 10.45pm.
Venue
Courses will again be held at SOAS, University of London – at the Vernon Square Campus, Penton Rise, London, WC1X 9EW (near Kings Cross).
What will be special about KlezFest 2010?
KlezFest 2010 will be
firmly rooted in Eastern European Jewish life and culture – focused around a
Jewish wedding. Whatever your background or level of expertise and experience,
you should come away with more knowledge of what ‘Klezmer’ is and where it comes
from as well as new and improved repertoire, technique and style.
Leading Eastern European
music specialist Michael Alpert will be joining our faculty after several years and will contribute
to the wedding theme with his special expertise as the badkhon. Michael will
also contribute to the
Special this year – by popular demand will be some plenery sessions
where singers and instrumentalists work
together in Franks Big Orchestra – and Polina’s massive choir. There
will also be time for small and quiet ensembles for those that don’t want
tronbones and tubas blasing in their ears. We hope to repeat the highly
successful sessions on ‘How to teach klezmer’ by Ilana Cravitz and Ros Hawley.
All students (who don’t already have one) will be given a free copy of the OUP book ‘Klezmer Fiddle – a how-to guide by Ilana Cravitz – or an appropriate song book. Ilana’s book with its well chosen tunes; its detailed background information; descriptions of style elements and accompanying CD is a groundbreaking and welcome addition to learning and teaching klezmer. No matter what your instrument this will be an invaluable tool for all. Simon Carlyle has made transcriptions for clarinets etc. Tunes from the book will be posted on the JMI website to download when you register so that you will have the chance to learn and practice them before you come - to be able to join in the big orchestra and have a common repertoire for jams.
Still hesitant? To see if KlezFest is for you click here ...
Who's Who - the faculty for 2010?
Frank London (USA) of Grammy award winning band The Klezmatics heads a talented internationally recognised group of skilled teachers and instrumentalists singers and dancers including Michael Alpert, Merlin Shepherd, Deborah Strauss, Jeff Warschauer, Andreas Schmitges, Polina Shepherd and Shura Lipovsky.
Download a list of suggested resources
Presented by the Jewish Music Institute
If you need more information: e-mail Yvonne Glass
020 8909 2445
modified December 30, 2009
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