My Dear Klezmorim and Klezmer Mishpokhes,

Y'all did a terrific job the past two days; thanks again for going above and beyond the call of duty. You and your families should be very proud. We were even on News 12 Westchester last night and this morning. As a recipient and representative of all those who benefit from your hard work -- thank you very much! Enjoy the rest of your summer -- we get back to work in one month. Until then...

Zayt Gezunt,
Kenny

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How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Become a member of the Westchester Klezmer Program, of course! All joking aside, Sarah Horowitz has been asked to perform there at an upcoming concert on June 15th. The event is called "Theodore Bikel: The First 85 Years". The show features Alan Alda, David Amram, Beyond the Pale, Artie Butler, Patricia Conolly, Arlo Guthrie, Judy Kaye, David Krakauer, Hankus Netsky, Serendipity 4: Shura Lipovsky, Merima Kljuco, Tamara Brooks, and Theodore Bikel, Tom Paxton, Noel Paul Stookey and Peter Yarrow, Susan Werner, Michael Wex, and of course, our very own Sarah Horowitz.

Sarah began playing violin at the age of 4, and has been a member of the Westchester Klezmer Program since she was in the second grade. Now 14, she will be performing a solo violin piece accompanied by Hankus Netsky. For additional information and tickets, visit the Carnegie Hall website.

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As an Official Partner of the Eighth Annual Westchester Jewish Film Festival, The Westchester Klezmer Program is pleased to announce that the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville will host the three week event from March 12 - April 2, 2009.

For additional information and group sales contact Abby Popper at apopper@ burnsfilmcenter.org or 914-773-7663, ext. 424.

To learn more about the Jacob Burns Film Center log onto burnsfilm center.org. The festival is sponsored by the American Jewish Committee, Westchester Chapter.

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Teen Ink Magazine has published an article written by our own Jeff Zalesin. Jeff writes about his experiences playing klezmer and the fun he has performing with the band. The October 21, 2008 post can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

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David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness!,The Klezmatics, Brave Old World, Mikveh, Frank London & Lorin Sklamberg Nigunim Trio with Rob Schwimmer, Katie Moore, SoCalled, and Michael Wex at Carnegie Hall, 8pm, Thursday, Apr 2, 2009. It's a Northern Westchester Adult/Teen rehearsal night, but... let's discuss!

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Congratulations to Nina Horowitz, Sarah Karger, Rebecca Karger, Elliot Lustig, and Jeff Zalesin, who were each named 2008-2009 Teen Music Leaders.

The position is awarded to musicians in their junior or senior year of high school who show exemplary commitment to klezmer and to the Westchester Klezmer Program. Teen Music Leaders are responsible for leading bands in the music director's absence, forming and leading ensembles, and assisting in teaching the younger musicians.

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Eric Seti, David Zaidins, and Jonathan Zaidins, were each named Teen Music Leader by WKP's board of directors.

The position is awarded to musicians in their junior or senior year of high school who show exemplary commitment to klezmer and to the Westchester Klezmer Program. Teen Music Leaders are responsible for leading bands in the music director's absence, forming and leading ensembles, and assisting in teaching the younger musicians.

Congratulations!

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Tarrytown, September 19th
Bedford, September 20th
7 p.m.

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Presented by Temple Beth Abraham and the Keren Milgot Scholarship Fund, a concert by Michal Emunah, featuring Michal performing classical works on the piano and original music and poetry that she composed. In attendance were NYS Senator Andrea Stewart- Cousins, Greenburgh Town Supervisor, Paul Feiner, Jay Leon, Mayor of Ardsley, Erin Malloy, Mayor of Irvington, and Robert Williams, Mayor of Elmsford. Performing with a Westchester Klezmer Program ensemble were, in alphabetic order: Josh Davidson, Lori Horowitz, Sara Horowitz, Laura Kirschner, Elliot Lustig, Lee Parker, Jerald Seti, Eric Seti, Evan Seti, David Zaidins, Jonathan Zaidins, an Jeff Zalesin. To see an album of the photos from the event, click here.

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Learning to play klezmer, for young and old alike, can be a challenge. The music isn’t often played in major or minor scales. Instead its keys, or modes, are referred to as Freygish, Misheberech and Adonoy moloch to name just three. Its various rhythms Nigun, Freylekh, Bulgar, Chosidl, Hora, Terkisher, Sirba, Sher, Taksim, and Doina, must be mastered. Not so easy if raised on a diet of rock, country, hip-hop, or even classical.

In a bygone era, klezmorim learned the melodies from each other. They were passed from musician to musician in the oral tradition; music stores didn’t exist. Imagine, no sheet music to be handed out, no recordings to buy, no iTunes to download.

With the rediscovery of klezmer starting in the late 1970s, a number of recordings, and some sheet music, from the first half of the 20th century were available to use for guidance. The number of recordings has grown but the availability of written music has not kept pace. A few have done an admirable job at publishing sheet music: The Kammen International Portfolio (published in 1924 and revised in 1951) and more recently, Sherry Mayrent’s Klezmer for Everyone series instruments (published in 2001), to name just two. Nothing has been exhaustingly comprehensive. Until now.

With close to 300 klezmer tunes, old standards and many newly discovered, in-depth discussions of the music and its history, plus an accompanying CD, The Absolutely Complete Klezmer Songbook, edited by Yale Strom, is amazing.

Strom has traveled extensively throughout Eastern Europe and the former Eastern Bloc countries, meeting with klezmorim and learning traditional and new melodies. He has collected photographs, recordings, oral histories, and sheet music.

Strom’s Songbook opens with a fascinating history of klezmer music, gathered from his research and travels; it is a must-read for all klezmer musicians. The sheet music is organized by category: wedding tunes, including dances for the in-laws; farewell dances; and the traditional bulgars, freylekhs, and other klezmer music forms.  Many of the songs will be familiar to klezmer musicians, while others, especially those gathered from Eastern European and Eastern Bloc klezmorim, have not been heard by most Western musicians.

All music is written in concert key with chords; 36 of the songs have been transposed for Bb instruments and also are presented in the book's accompanying CD.

The Absolutely Complete Klezmer Songbook expands the growing library of world klezmer music and captures melodies that otherwise may have disappeared. It belongs in the library of every dedicated klezmer musician and aficionado.

Published by Transcontinental Music Publications. $49.95 from URJ Press (www.urjpress.com).

Tuesday November 7, 2006 - 01:09pm (EST)

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IDF soldiers were welcomed to Westchester on Sunday, 10/22, at a private brunch reception. Nine KlezKidz band members were invited to play in their honor. Click here to view

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