RE: Klezmer and Jewish Music Workshop and Concert in New Haven

[Dick Rosenberg <drosenberg...>]

I went to this event last Wednesday. I was impressed by a number of
things. First of all there seems to be a much livlier Jewish community
in and around New Haven than I had previously thought. I met people like
David who are interested in Jewish music from both a personal and
professional perspective as a Professor of Music at SCSU. I met other
people who are into Jewish dance, both Klezmer and Israeli, and who give
classes in same at the local JCC and foster and attend other Jewish
dance related events all over Connecticut.

The workshops themselves were great. I went to the instrumental one,
where Frank London spent an hour and a half explaining, teaching and
coaxing a willing bunch of participants through a number of Nigunim, the
(mostly) wordless melodies devised by various Chassidic communities or
members thereof for numerous occasions. Although I have had a great deal
of exposure to Klezmer, this was my first exposure to Nigunim and it was
a very worthwhile experience, both from an appreciation of this music
and it's relation to Klezmer and for my own personal musical growth.

At the same time Lorin Sklamberg was conducting a vocal workshop of
Nigunim in another room.

Then Lorin came in and he and Frank did a Klezmer 101 lecture, where
they talked about and to some extent illustrated some of the various
forms of Klezmer music (freylekh, zhok, etc) and discussed how the
Klezmorim in many cases took the music of the people with whom they
co-inhabited a certain area and "Jewishized" that music into theirs
(polka/mazurka, kolomryke, e.g)

Then there was a break and the highlight of the day, a 2 hour concert
with Frank on trumpet and keys, Lorin on accordion and vocals and Rob
Schwimmer on piano and an instrrument called (I think) a theremin, which
can only be described as a "virtual electric saw" (perhaps someone else
can elaborate). The concert was in large part similar material to that
from their album "Nigunim". It was very moving, avoiding some of the
excesses that sometimes come out of a concert by the larger band, the
Klezmatics. It kept an appreciative audience alternately mezmerized by
their fine musicianship and clapping a jumping around in their seats by
the group's energy, enthusiasm and obvious love of what they were doing.

A very nice day (even the weather cooperated) in Southern Connecticut.
There's a lot going on down there.

Dick Rosenberg

>-----Original Message-----
>From:  David Chevan [SMTP:chevan (at) scsu(dot)ctstateu(dot)edu]
>Sent:  Thursday, October 19, 2000 9:31 AM
>To:    World music from a Jewish slant
>Subject:       Klezmer and Jewish Music Workshop and Concert in New Haven
>
>Chevre,
>I thought that anyone in the New Haven, CT region might be interested in
>this event that we're hosting at my school, Southern Connecticut State
>University.  Although it is a faculty development program, the public, as
>they say in the institutional world, is alwo welcome to attend.  If you are
>interested in attending please get back to me and I'll get you driving
>instructions etc. so that you can attend.
>David 
>
>Klezmer and Jewish Music Workshop and Concert
>
>The SCSU Department of Judaic Studies and the SCSU Music Department in
>conjunction with the SCSU Faculty Development Advisory Committee is proud to
>present an afternoon of master class sessions and a concert for the Faculty
>on the subject of Jewish Music. The sessions will be led by two members of
>the Klezmatics: vocalist and accordionist, Lorin Sklamberg and trumpeter,
>Frank London and assisted by pianist Rob Schwimmer and Music Department
>faculty member, David Chevan.  The master classes will take place in Earl
>Hall on the SCSU campus on Wednesday, November 1.
>
>On Wednesday, November 1, at 12:00 p.m. Sklamberg and London, along with
>pianist Rob Schwimmer  and SCSU Music Professor David Chevan, will offer
>three workshops in rooms 114 and 118 in Earl Hall. Although this is a
>faculty workshop all members of the SCSU community are welcome.
>
>12:00- 1:30 Session 1a. Sklamberg will lead a nigunim-singing class open to
>all voices, with an emphasis on group singing. Nigunim are songs of
>devotion and praise whose purpose is to induce a state of piety and ecstasy
>in both performer and listener.  Earl Hall Room 114.
>
>12:00 - 1:30 Session 1b. London, Schwimmer, and Chevan will lead a class for
>musicians where nigunim and other traditional Jewish melodies will be
>learned as a basis for improvisation,  arranging, and ensemble performance.
>Earl Hall Room 118.
>
>1:30 - 3:00 Session 2. Both groups will come together for a
>lecture/demonstration on the history of Klezmer and other Ashkenazic Jewish
>musical traditions, from their European roots through their contemporary
>renaissance.   Earl Hall Room 118.
>
>
>On Wednesday, November 1, at 5:00 p.m., London, Sklamberg and Schwimmer will
>give a performance featuring songs from their CD, Nigunim. This concert will
>take place in the Charles Garner Recital Hall (Engleman 115) on the SCSU
>Campus in New Haven.  ADMISSION IS FREE.
>       This concert of original and traditional nigunim drawn from the Belzer,
>Gerer, Lubovitcher, and Skulaner dynasties has been performed around the
>world, at festivals of Jewish culture from Toronto to Amsterdam. 
>
>
>This workshop and concert  is sponsored by a Grant from the SCSU Faculty
>Development Advisory Committee.
>
>For further information please contact Dr. David Chevan in the Music
>Department at  (203) 392- 6630, or  chevan (at) scsu(dot)ctstateu(dot)edu
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>* * *
>David Chevan
>Southern Connecticut State University
>501 Crescent St.
>New Haven, CT 06517
>(203) 392-6630
>
>email: chevan (at) scsu(dot)ctstateu(dot)edu 
>or check out my website by clicking here
>http://www.chevan.addr.com
>

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