Yiddish Summer Weimar

Yiddish Summer Weimar - Germany's best known festival of Yiiddish Music - 2008: July 10th - August 15th

This year’s song workshop (in English and German) has two goals: an intensive exploration of the most traditional elements of Yiddish vocal style, and an introduction to the varieties of Roma vocal repertoire and style.

July 30th - August 6th, 2008: Yiddish Song Workshop

We are very happy to have our old friend and master teacher Michael Alpert back this year for an in-depth course on traditional Yiddish folk song repertoire, ornamentation, and style. Another old Weimar friend, Sruli Dresdner (USA), will give us a very rare chance to learn a deep and rare repertoire of nigunim (textless melodies) and how they are sung inside the Khassidic community in which he grew up. Anyone who has even a little knowledge of this repertoire will not want to miss the chance to learn this uniquely Yiddish style of syllabalization and ornamentation from Sruli. We also welcome very special guest Tcha Limberger for the first time to Yiddish Summer Weimar. Tcha is a phenomenal violinist and singer, of Sinti origin living today in Brussels, who has done extensive research in the Roma communities of Eastern Europe. He will introduce us to the variety of Roma traditional vocal repertoire and style. Finally, what would a Weimar vocal workshop be without the energy and artistry of Rosi Dasch and Katharina Müther, who will direct the choir, coach ensembles, help out with the evening jam sessions, and just make everything better.

Faculty:

Michael Alpert (USA, voice/violin)

Sruli Dresdner (USA, voice/clarinet)
Tcha Limberger (Belgien, voice/violin)
Rosi Dasch (Germany, voice/violin))
Katharina Müther (Germany, voice/accordion)
Alan Bern (USA/Germany, accordion/piano)