RE: yiddish language decline?

[Jewish Music Institute <jewishmusic...>]

I must rush to tell you that jmi in London is providing a great opportunity
for those that heard/learned Yiddish, albeit reluctantly, as a child, to
really engaged with the language for a short sharp submersion. We are
putting on a one-week learn to read write and speak Yiddish - and even sing!
It is called Ot Azoy - this is the way... and it can be done because we have
the best teachers in the World - Pesakh Fiszman from Columbia, Sonia
Pinkasovich from Martin Buber institute in Brussels and Chayele Beer from
University College in London. We will have Zalmen Mlotek who will be
teaching Yiddish through song, and also running a scratch Yiddish Chorus
every day. It specially designed for those that want to see if it will come
back, or those that want to try from scratch -but who cant spend four of
five weeks at it.  Its from 14 - 19 July.

And what is extra good is that it runs straight into KlezFest London 2002 -
21-25 July.  London will be resounding with Klezmer this summer as KlezFest
opens in London's Regents Park.  We will have bands on the bandstand and
Merlin Shepherd will be conducting the biggest Klezmer band ever. We will be
going for the Guinness book of Records, so bring you instruments and be in
London in the summer to get into the record book.  On Monday night will be a
rare klezmer treat at the South Bank's Queen Elizabeth Hall, with Frank
London and his Klezmer Brass Allstars with a unique firmament of guest
tars  - all the fantastic Faculty that will be here - Zev Feldman, Michael
Alpert, Alan Bern, Debbie Strauss, Jeff Warschauer and many more.  On
Tuesday night Frank will lead a jam session for the whole of KlezFest.  And
all day there will be the intensive classes in history, poetry, theatre and
humour as well as singing masterclasses with the amazing Adrienne Cooper,
two dance sessions each day and the famous Yiddish Chorus alongside
instrumental training and ensemble groups.  New this year will be a
play-reading group tackling a major Yiddish play (in English) all week. If
there are enough takers there will be a play development in Yiddish as well.
There is also a strand about the Yiddish theatre in London with the famous
Anna Tzelniker giving her riveting talks about her life as a child and Adult
actor in London.

Details and application forms for both these courses on the JMI Website
www.jmi.org.uk  (get the application form via the Ot Azoy information, it
downloads better at the moment)

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
[mailto:owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org]On Behalf Of Brian Dichter
Sent: 22 March 2002 03:03
To: World music from a Jewish slant
Subject: Re: yiddish language decline?

on 3/21/02 8:00 PM, Mel Korn at mkorn (at) rogers(dot)com wrote:

> How ironic that I take such pride today in my ability to communicate in
> Yiddish, and that my personal musical education began in my 40's as a
quest
> to learn to play Klezmer music, which I grew to love. However I rarely
find
> contemporaries with whom I can converse in Yiddish, or who share my
passion
> for Jewish music. My kids and their contemporaries look at me as if I were
> an alien when I play any kind of Jewish music, be it the music of my
parents
> generation, or new Klezmer recordings (we won't even mention the reaction
I
> got the one time I played one of John Zorn's recordings). Coltrane or Bird
> yes...Andy Statman or The Flying Bulgurs no. So for me Yiddish is somewhat
> alive...for my kids it will be some cultural relic related to their
> heritage.
>
I was hoping to convince my fiancee to learn Yiddish with me. But, I'm
already a "freak" due to the endless hours of Klezmer I blast all the time
at home. 8) Liz won't sit still for John Zorn but, fortunately, she likes
Andy Statman AND Coltrane.

I guess taking a course would be helpful as long as it focuses on
conversation too.

brian


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