Re: Who is qualified to teach klezmer?

[Dick Rosenberg <mashke...>]

According to hillel.org there are 1200 Jews at U of M (800 undergrad, 400
grad). That should be enough for a small band and a large audience.

Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alex J. Lubet" <lubet001 (at) umn(dot)edu>
To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Monday, April 29, 2002 9:26 AM
Subject: Re: Who is qualified to teach klezmer?


> Of course, Josh is having a little fun with this, but I'm sure he knows
he's
> also making a very serious point, which is that in secular academia, being
an
> ethnic insider cannot, at least technically, be regarded as a
qualification for
> teaching for being involved in any way in an "ethnic" subject.  Were I to
start
> a klezmer band at the University of Minnesota, it would almost certainly
have
> no Jewish members.  A large part of making Jewish music for me is about
> community.  I'm not suggesting that that's the same for everyone, nor my
> suggesting that only Jews are qualified to teach people how to play
klezmer,
> but one of the things I always derived from the music when I was an active
> performer was that sense that was contributing to the community, to its
> identity and continuity.
>
> One particularly tricky aspect of having a klezmer band in secular
academic
> institution might be gigs.  I know that our ensembles play in churches all
the
> time and occasionally in synagogues, but I can see some potentially messy
> situations where there might be a sacred/secular conflict of interests.
>
> In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that my klezmer career
was
> relatively short and I don't think I'd be particularly good at teaching
the
> music.  I would also note that from time to time I am called upon to be
the
> faculty expert on things Jewish.  In particular, I get asked questions
about
> matters of Hebrew pronunciation by singers and choral conductors.  I try
to be
> careful not to overextend myself into for my students and colleagues to
more
> knowledgeable people in the community such as rabbis and cantors as the
need
> arises.
>
>
>
> Joshua Horowitz wrote:
>
> > Catholic Priests.
> >
> > > Thanks to everyone for their insightful comments on my last two
questions
> > > There are only two questions remaining, and
> > > some of the responses have already referred to this next question:
> > > Who is qualified to teach klezmer?
> > >
> > > Thanks again for your comments,
> > > Christine Gangelhoff
> >
>
> --
> Alex Lubet, Ph. D.
> Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music
> Adjunct Professor of American and Jewish Studies
> University of Minnesota
> 2106 4th St. S
> Minneapolis, MN 55455
> 612 624-7840 612 624-8001 (fax)
>
>
>

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