London KlezFest 2004 for Kids?

[jfabrams <jfabrams...>]

I was wondering if anybody familiar with KlezFest in London could offer some
advice about the event's appropriateness for kids.  My son will be having
his Bar Mitzvah in a couple of weeks.  He has been playing piano for about
seven years and is quite proficient.  His mother is from England and
yesterday my sister-in-law called us (in Pennsylvania) from the London area
asking for advice about what gift to get him.  I told we would get back to
her about that, but I immediately thought about how wonderful it would be to
send my son to attend KlezFest for a week in August, while also visiting the
family in the London area.

I checked the KlezFest website http://www.jmi.org.uk/klezmer/klezfest04.html
and it suggested that anybody with basic proficiency as an instrumentalist
would find the experience enjoyable.  It also suggested that KlezFest is
most rewarding to those who have some experience with Klezmer as the week
can take a musician from one level to the next.  Our son is proficient but
not experienced with playing Klezmer.  So, my question is, has anyone out
there sent their child to KlezFest, and is KlezFest as exciting and
rewarding for kids as it appears to be for adults?  Thanks very much.

Jim Abrams




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