Immerse yourself in the celebratory and soulful music of Jewish eastern Europe. Course tutors will introduce you to the elements that make this genre unique via a selection of fantastic repertoire provided as sheet music.
STANDARD: LOWER/UPPER INTERMEDIATE, ADVANCED
Fee: £120 (25% off for under 27s) Code: 21/OL69
What is the course about?
Ilana Cravitz and Sarha Moore present a course designed for instrumentalists (including keyboard players) from all musical backgrounds - classical, folk, world or jazz. Applicants must be of at least roughly Grade 4 level (no formal qualifications needed), and an ability to read music is essential as the course will be taught mainly using written music. The coaching is all about interactive learning, concentrating on playing lots of great repertoire while paying attention to melody, accompaniment and ornamentation. Where appropriate dance elements are also introduced to the course. Oral and aural learning methods will help those unfamiliar with it acquaint themselves to the style more quickly – though we hope for many return visitors! Putting music into its historical context is an important part of the course, as is the telling of stories of musicians past and present. Suitable for those new to klezmer, and a good refresher for those with some or a lot of klezmer experience.
Tutor website: www.ilanacravitz.com
What will we cover?
Klezmer modes
Different types of tunes and dances
The sound of traditional klezmer
Playing klezmer from music along with tutors (jamming)
What will we accomplish? By the end of this course you will be able to…
Recognise a common klezmer mode
Understand how rhythm and tempo work in klezmer dances/music
Play some traditional ornamentation
Recognise the tempo and rhythmic differences between the four most common klezmer dance genres
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Ability to read music required
You should be comfortable finding named notes on your instrument, and know how scales and arpeggios work.
How will the course be taught, and will any preparation be required?
The course will be taught via zoom with opportunities for questions throughout. Some sheet music and mp3s will be circulated in advance and it would help students’ preparation to spend a little time familiarising themselves with the material. We’ll be having 2 sessions per day, each of 1.5 hours.
Will music be provided in advance of the course?
A sample of tunes and a modes sheet will be provided in advance.
Klezmer books available from tutors at discount on the RRP:
- A klezmer how-to book
- Book of Jewish wedding melodies arranged for string quartet.
Is there anything I need to bring?
Your instrument. Printer and/or screen you can read music on.
Access to a computer or laptop with a built-in microphone/speaker and camera.
What previous participants said about this course…
“It's a great way of expanding your musical experience and freeing your playing.”
“It's an immersive but utterly unintimidating experience which gives you the chance to get up close with fantastic musicians living and thriving in one of the world’s most special folk traditions.”