Klezmer arranging ideas

[Fred Blumenthal <xd2fabl...>]

I have 2 arrangements I'd be happy to share with you, if that would help. 
Khazen Kale Mazel Tov, and Simon Tov u Mazel Tov.  Both are arranged for 
the forces you describe plus banjo or guitar.  Since the banjo/guitar only 
plays chords together with the accordion that part could be left out 
without creating a problem.  I think we agree on the make-up of an ideal 
traditional klezmer ensemble, and the level of difficulty might be about 
right for a school group.  They're currently in Finale format, which 
doesn't convert to to PDF successfully, but I could probably scan the 
printed score and parts into graphics files.

As far as advice on doing your own arrangements, for what it's worth, it 
seems to me the sky's the limit in terms of moving the melody from one 
instrument to another, accompaniment textures, obbligato, counterpoint, 
bringing in another melody as a collage effect, etc.  And I hear a lot of 
klezmer ensembles being used to accompany singing of Yiddish songs, so 
that could add a lot of choices.

Fred Blumenthal
xd2fabl (at) us(dot)ibm(dot)com