JMI KlezFest

World Music Summer School at SOAS

JMI KlezFest London

1-13 August 2010

Learn Yiddish… Sing Yiddish… Play Klezmer… Dance…

 

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Be one of the 150 instrumentalists, singers and dancers and Yiddish language students that converge in London each summer to learn the traditional culture, music, song and dance of Eastern European Jewish communities from ages past.

 

Now in its 10^th year, the popular JMI KlezFest – which is part of the World Music Summer School at SOAS, brings to London some of the most inspirational teachers from America, Europe and the UK for week-long practical courses in repertoire, interpretation and style of klezmer music with dedicated strands for Yiddish song and dance as well as the Yiddish language. Bands welcome with performance opportunities. 

 

Students of all ages and backgrounds are welcome. In the popular Yiddish crash-course Ot Azoy! (1 – 6 August), classes are held at four levels, from complete beginners to advanced.  For KlezFest (8 – 13 August), music and song students are taught according to competence on their instruments (from about grade 5 and above – to professional). The dedicated dance strand requires no set standard or experience – just a love of dancing.

 

A new, two-week song programme called Tumbala! - integrated with both Ot Azoy! and KlezFest - runs from 1 to 13 August. For the first time, serious singers will have the opportunity of absorbing repertoire and interpretation of Yiddish song together with learning to speak, read and write the language.

 

Members of the public may enjoy four concerts by international Yiddish and klezmer stars who will be gathering in London as teachers at KlezFest. (Booking is already open for these concerts at www.ticketweb.co.uk  08444 77 1000).

 

Students have commented:  ‘I came away uplifted and inspired!’; ‘Not only did I experience a wealth of new music and techniques, but also a renewed outlook on life and music in general’;  ‘A hugely valuable insight into Jewish music, tradition and culture’.

 

Courses take place at SOAS Vernon Square Campus, Penton Rise, London WC1X 9EW

£235 full rate £135 student rate fro one week (£400/£200 for two weeks).

To enrol for JMI KlezFest London call 020 8909 2445 e-mail jewishmusic@jmi.org.uk or register online at the JMI Website www.jmi.org.uk.