Klezmer Ensemble

Under the direction of Director of Music Performance and acclaimed clarinetist and ethnomusicologist Joel Rubin, the UVA Klezmer Ensemble focuses on the music of the klezmorim, the Jewish professional instrumentalists of Eastern Europe, as well as related eastern European traditions. The ensemble is made up of both undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, alumni, and other members of the greater Central Virginia community. It is dedicated to exploring klezmer and other Jewish musical traditions from the 18th century to the present.

Now in its seventh year, the UVA Klezmer Ensemble has rapidly become a vital part of the musical community of Central/Northern Virginia. Besides performing in Old Cabell Hall, recent appearances have included: the Jewish Studies conference "Jewish Renaissance and Renaissances" at UVA, College of William & Mary, University of Richmond, Gravity Lounge, the 214 Community Arts Center (former Prism Coffeehouse), WeArts Festival (McGuffey Arts Center), New Bridges (Harrisonburg), Congregation Beth Israel, Chabad of UVA, the Piedmont Council for the Arts' annual Spring for the Arts, the Charlottesville Festival of Cultures, and the Jewish Community Council (Lynchburg).

Klezmer was brought to North America by immigrants around the turn of the last century. Since the 1970's, a dynamic revival of this tradition has been taking place in America and beyond. Klezmer's recent popularity has brought it far from its roots in medieval minstrelsy and Jewish ritual and into the sphere of mainstream culture. The Klezmer Ensemble at UVA performs at the end of each semester, often supplemented by performances at community events.

Each year (and sometimes twice per year) the ensemble is coached by and plays together with a renowned guest artist. Recent guests have included: Frank London (Klezmatics); klezmer hip-hop artist Socalled (Abraham, Inc., Beyond the Pale, David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness!); innovative composer-clarinetist Michael Winograd (Yiddish Princess, Socalled, Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars, Daniel Kahn's Painted Bird, Shtreiml, Ayelet Rose Gottlieb); violinist-composer Steve Greenman (Khevrisa, Stempenyu's Dream, Joel Rubin Ensemble); Alicia Svigals, co-founder of the Grammy-winning Klezmatics, trumpeter Susan Watts (Mikveh, Klez Dispensers, Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars); trombonist Dan Blacksberg (Dan Kahn's Painted Bird, The Other Europeans, Michael Winograd Ensemble, Electric Simcha); the Kálmán Balogh/Ferenc Kovács Duo from Hungary (Other Europeans, Joel Rubin Ensemble); violinist David Chernyavsky (SF Symphony, Joel Rubin Ensemble); and tsimbl (hammered dulcimer player) Pete Rushefsky (Alicia Svigals, Steven Greenman, Joel Rubin Ensemble).

Our guests for Spring 2013 will be Cookie Segelstein (violin) and Joshua Horowitz (accordian, tsimbl/hammered dulcimer) from the groups Veretski Pass (http://www.veretskipass.com) and Budowitz (http://www.budowitz.com). Horowitz was Rubin's duo partner in the early 1990's, which produced the acclaimed CD, Bessarabian Symphony: Early Jewish Instrumental Music (Wergo 1994), called "the best available introduction to the Old World Klezmer Repertoire" by the journal Ethnomusicology. These groups have been pioneers in East European klezmer historical performance practice. Segelstein and Horowitz are also among the pioneers in investigating the interactions between klezmer and non-Jewish eastern European musical traditions. Horowitz studied composition and music theory and has a masters from the Music Conservatory in Graz, Austria, where he also taught and led a klezmer research project for eight years. Segelstein has a masters in viola from Yale. A child of Holocaust survivors from Czechoslovkia, she has also been actively involved in Holocaust education.

FOR AUDITIONS

Admission by instructor permission. Audition is the first day of class in Spring 2013, Monday, January 14, 7:30-9:30pm, in 113 Old Cabell.

In this ensemble, we will begin by focusing on the klezmer traditions of New York and Philadelphia from ca. 1910-1950 as well as the klezmer and hasidic traditions of 18th-19th century Eastern Europe. Depending on the makeup of the group, we may explore various other genres of Jewish musical traditions, including Yiddish song (folk song, Yiddish theater, vaudeville) and various forms of contemporary Euro-American Jewish popular music.

This music was passed on orally from generation to generation, and many of the ornaments which are so integral to the klezmer sound can only be approximated by Western staff notation – not to mention the patterns of improvised variation which are the cornerstone of the style. There will therefore be an emphasis on learning by ear as much as possible. Sheet music with basic melodies and harmonies for each piece will be provided.

The following instruments are sought: violin, viola, cello, bass, clarinet, flute, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, tuba (and other low brass), percussion (drum set, xylophone), piano, and accordion, although others will also be considered. Restricted to instructor permission by audition. Please contact Dr. Rubin with any questions: