klezkidz

Bronx Zoo/JCC Maccabi Games

2009-08-18T15:32:53Z

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

Sarah at Carnegie Hall

2009-06-01T22:35:22Z

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.

Westchester Jewish Film Festival 2009

2009-01-31T00:12:19Z

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.

Jeff Zalesin Gets Published

2008-12-12T00:31:10Z

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.

Review: Ilana Cravitz / Klezmer Fiddle: a how-to guide

2008-10-17T18:39:16Z

An extremely compre- hensive work that does a great job teaching a violinist how to play klezmer. It's a must for musicians who are seeking to master the art of the klezmer fiddle. (more)

Klezmer All-Star Bash

2008-09-15T16:32:46Z

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!

September 1, 2008

2008-09-15T16:32:02Z

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.

Keith Wolzinger's Klezmer Podcast

2008-09-15T16:30:04Z

Just released and also posted on iTunes.com, listen to Keith Wolzinger's "Klezmer Podcast" recorded in late August 2007 at Klez Kanada. Keith Interviews Eric, Mindy, and Kenny about the Westchester Klezmer Program. Click here to listen.

Baseball Caps Are Here!

2008-09-15T16:28:40Z

Our WKP caps are in! They're royal blue with our red logo, and the lettering is in white. These baseball caps are beautiful and come with six-panels and are an unstructured, low-profile design that offers a relaxed look and feel. They come with six sewn eyelets to allow air flow, and have a cloth strap with tri-glide buckle closure to ensure adjustments are simple.

The caps are $15 and are in limited supply. Get et 'em while they're still available!

Annual Candle Sale

2008-09-15T16:27:22Z

We are having our annual Chanukah/ Shabbat/ Havdalah candle sale. The candles are beautiful, reasonably priced, and they make terrific gifts for family, friends, and teachers. WKP keeps 50% of total sales. We've made over $1,000 in each of the past two years, so this a major fund raiser for us, and allows us to keep fees at a manageable level.

You may download the order form from our website here. Because Chanukah is early this year, we need completed order forms plus payment to the Westchester Klezmer Program by October 25.

September 21, 2007

2008-09-15T16:25:13Z

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!

Registration & Orientation

2008-09-15T16:16:08Z

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

August 28, 2007

2008-09-15T16:15:06Z

Our attendees at KlezKanada in Lantier, Quebec, Canada (about an hour's drive north of Montreal), from August 18-26, 2007.

August 28, 2007

2008-09-15T16:14:24Z

Just Say Nu

Now that Stephen Colbert, a Catholic from South Carolina and host of the "Colbert Report," is using Yiddish to wish viewers a bright and happy Chanukah, people have finally started to realize that there's nothing in the world that can't be improved by translating it into Yiddish. Michael Wex's new book, Just Say Nu, is going to show them how. Due to be released Oct 16, 2007, it is available for pre-ordering from Amazon.com.

June 10, 2007

2008-09-15T16:13:26Z

An afternoon of music and poetry

with Michal Emunah

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.

Tu B'Shevat Concert

2008-09-15T16:12:06Z

Join us for a Tu B'Shevat concert for senior citizens on Sunday February 4, 2:00 pm, at Bet Torah, 60 Smith Avenue, Mount Kisco. The concert is sponsored by Bet Torah's Jewish Living committee and Schonfeld Cultural Fund. To RSVP, call 914/666-7595.

December 2006

2008-09-15T16:11:04Z

Pete Sokolow

This month's column is written by Pete Sokolow. Performer, recording artist, arranger, composer, book author, his bio ... more

November 2006

2008-09-15T16:10:13Z

Book Review

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)

Tzahal Shalom

2008-09-15T16:09:03Z

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

Chanukah Candles

2008-09-15T16:05:37Z

The Chanukah candle fundraiser forms must be turned in by the 1st rehearsal in November.
Download the form by clicking here: klezcandles2.PDF

Congratulations, Jason!

2008-09-15T16:03:58Z

The Autism Society of America presented its Wendy F. Miller 2006 Outstanding Individual with Autism of the Year Award to Jason Breslin. He received the award for his accomplishments, including his original klezmer compositions. Jason is a recent grad and long time member of the Westchester Klezmer Program. The article was published in the 10/1/06, Westchester Jewish Chronicle. Click here to read the article in its entirety.

October 2006

2008-09-15T16:01:50Z

Joshua Horowitz

This month's Kenny's Korner column is written by Josh Horowitz. Josh is an... more