the KlezmerShack

KlezKanada 2014
YIDDISH IS UNDEAD!
The Mystical and Supernatural in Ashkenazic Jewish Folklore and Practice

Mon, Aug 18 - Sun Aug 24, 2014
Camp Bnai Brith
Lantier, Quebec, Canada

If you have not yet registered, please do so here, as soon as possible. Reserve your place now before we fill up!

Scholarship applications are now open for emerging artists and scholars, ages 16 to 35. This internationally renowned program offers students an opportunity to study with many of the leading teachers of Yiddish/Jewish music and culture, and make friends and form artistic partnerships that will last a lifetime. Apply here.

Posted by Ari Davidow at 8:47 AM | Permalink

Celebrate the Centerpiece of the Jewish Choral Movement
Join us at the 25th Annual North American Jewish Choral Festival

July 20 - 24, 2014
Hudson Valley Resort and Spa, NY

Click here to register now

LaM'natzeach Award to Matthew Lazar
For Sparking a Renaissance of Jewish Choral Music

11th Hallel V'Zimrah Award to Marsha Bryan Edelman and Dan Freelander

Celebrating 25 Years of Song! This year's Festival includes A Choral Festival Retrospective Commemorative Journal NAJCF "Then and Now" Photos

Plus
More Choral Performances
More Community Singing
Special Young Adult Programming
Exciting New Workshops

Posted by Ari Davidow at 5:41 PM | Permalink

At the beginning of WWII, Olivier Messiaen was in the French army, and was taken prisoner of war. People less philistine than I consider it one of the premier pieces of 20th century music, and it premiered in Stalag 8-A on Jan 15, 1941 with Messiaen on piano, and three other musicians—one of them a Jewish clarinetist, Henri Akoka. There is a stunning description of the circumstances under which the piece was written and premiered in a new novel, Orfeo by one of my favorite authors, Richard Price. It may be the best section, and one that best illuminates what Powers is trying to say with the novel. (The one Jewish music connection to this piece, perhaps? Partly as a result of being part of that quartet of musicians, with missteps and near-transports along the way, Henri Akoka survived the war.)

I have been listing to an old RCA recording of "The Quartet for the End of Time" for the last couple of months, ever since reading about it in the novel. I had purchased the recording after reading Alex Ross' incredible book on 20th century music, All the rest is noise," a few years ago, and quite frankly, hadn't gotten into it. That has changed.

Now, things have changed again. David Krakauer has released a new recording of the quartet, framed by short pieces composed by himself ("Akoka") and digital re-mix wizard, SoCalled ("Meanwhile...."). It includes Krakauer on clarinet, SoCalled on electronics, Matt Haimovitz on cello, Jonathan Crow on violin, and Geoffrey Burleson on piano. It is stunning. It will officially release on April 1, and if you are at all interested in amazing once-avant garde music, this is a must-purchase. It has replaced (mostly) my older recording. As intended, this is the "Quartet for the end of time" for our time.

The recording is available from Oxingale Music, oxingalerecords.com/2014/02/22/akoka/.

Posted by Ari Davidow at 5:02 PM | Permalink

The Mayrent Institute for Yiddish Culture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is pleased to announce "Viskonsin! Tales from Yiddish Wisconsin," a new project on Yiddish culture in the upper Midwest. With Viskonsin!, we seek to uncover the often hidden history of Yiddish life in the Midwest which, while it mirrored Jewish communities in larger cities, took on a unique character all its own.

This program will feature invited speakers, community history panels, and a participatory concert and sing-along.

More information online

Posted by Ari Davidow at 10:55 AM | Permalink

Join Lorin Sklamberg and explore the treasure trove of Yiddish folksongs collected by singer-musicologist Ruth Rubin (1906-2000). Repertoire will be drawn from the anthology Yiddish Folksongs of the Ruth Rubin Archive (Wayne State University/ YIVO 2007) and published and unpublished materials from her papers. Sessions will be illustrated by Rubin's original field tapes and discs held in YIVO's Sound Archives, and documentary and historical video material. Song texts and translations will be provided.

Max Weinreich Center
15 West 16th Street
New York, New York 10011

Register for Lorin's class here!

More on Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/1471445316407049/

Posted by Ari Davidow at 10:31 AM | Permalink

From Sam Glaser to the Jewish-Music list:

Shalom Jewish Music Community. I am excited to release the first video from my last album, The Promise. Enjoy!

Posted by Ari Davidow at 7:06 PM | Permalink

From Geraldine Auerbach:

Booking is now officially open for the ECA Budapest Cantors Convention
July 2014: Thursday 10 - Monday 14th.
Guest teachers: Asher Hainovitz and Yaakov Motzen
Subject the High Holydays

Convention includes Shabbat Services in the Hungarian tradition, a concert by world class cantors and an evening for young talent to perform. It also includes a Tour of Jewish Budapest and a personal tour of the Dohány Street Synagogue on Sunday afternoon.

Fees: full fee is £245 and for students it is £145. Some scholarships are available particularly for Eastern European delegates. There is a £15 discount on all bookings before 30 April.

This year the prices include (as well as breakfast and light lunches) Shabbat lunch and dinners on Thursday, Friday and Sunday for delegates. Accommodation is not included, but for early bookers there is a special discount price at the Convention Hotel: The Golden Park, which is near the synagogue. (See below for details)

Accompanying guests may to join us for evening meals and entertainment as well as Shabbes lunch and the Tours for reasonable prices. Please book these on the Registration Form.

Details and registration form from the ECA website www.cantors.eu

Posted by Ari Davidow at 7:01 PM | Permalink

From Pete Rushefsky, writing to the Jewish-Music mailing list:

"We've just put up a new archival video on Bessarabian klezmer clarinetist German Goldenshteyn on the CTMD Archives website: www.ctmd.org/archives.htm in anticipation of Tuesday night's Tantshoyz Yiddish Dance Party featuring Michael Alpert, Alex Kontorovich and Naum Goldenshteyn:

Posted by Ari Davidow at 6:31 PM | Permalink