KlezCalendar

My Father's Journey is a song-telling concert about survival, destiny, and our century. The one-woman show is based on the oral history of Ms. Braitman 's father, his twisting adventure through Eastern Europe during the rise of Nazism and World War II, and his complex relationship with his children. The 90- minute piece dramatically weaves stories with instrumental and vocal music while weaving together the story of father and daughter, revealing the Holocaust's effect on Ms. Braitman as her father's life unfolds in time with her own:

"My Father's Journey", performed by Sylvie Braitman was one of the most powerful performances I have ever seen. Braitman's performance definitely had the qualities to expand the understanding of the Holocaust beyond mere words." A student of Santa Clara University. May 2003

"The project arose as I struggled to answer three different questions: one was how to tell this incredible story of my father, with all its heroism, horror and humor; two was how to tell my own story; three, how to make the music of his life (mostly the Yiddish songs) relevant outside of the comfortable field of nostalgia The result is a show in which I play myself as well as my father, where music is used to reflect or illustrate the scenes, and where I can share a huge range of emotions that bring shivers, tears and laughter." Sylvie Braitman

Mezzo-Soprano Sylvie Braitman was born in Paris of Jewish Polish parents. A graduate of the Conservatory of Music, she performs classical music (San Jose Opera, Berkeley Symphony, Plush Room), French cabaret music (Domaine Chandon, Freight and Salvage, Plush Room), and Yiddish Folk Songs. She has been part of Berkeley Jewish Music, and Yiddish Theater Music in collaboration with Zalmen Mlotek, a foremost authority in Yiddish Songs. Sylvie Braitman has written various one-woman shows that feature family members or imaginary characters who tell their stories through songs and narration. She has researched and taught on the subject of Music during the Holocaust. In March 2001, she was artistic director of "Long Live Life . . . Theresienstadt 1941-1945", for the Berkeley Jewish Music Festival.

Accordionist Jim Rebhan received his musical education at the University of Chicago and at the California Institute of the Arts, where he received an M.F.A. in composition. He has been part of the Klezmer revival since 1980 and is a member of the Elis Island Old World Folk Band and California Klezmer. In addition to the accordion, Jim also plays drums and xylophone.

Annette Brodovsky was born and raised in Switzerland and moved to the United States in 1996. She graduated from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and is working on her Masters degree in violin performance. Annette has held leading positions with various orchestras and chamber groups in Northern California as well as in Europe. She gives lectures on Klezmer music, and currently teaches a Klezmer band at Sacramento State University. A lover of all things Yiddish, Annette is the fiddle player of the Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band, whose new CD will be forthcoming in December 2004. She lives with her husband and their two young daughters in Sacramento, where she also maintains a private Suzuki violin studio.