Instrumental Music Program  

The instrumental music program at KlezKamp is designed to provide insights and challenges to instrumentalists at all levels of proficiency and familiarity with klezmer style.

Beginning Instruments/AM1 Ken Maltz

For students not sufficiently skilled to benefit from instruction in the elements of klezmer style, this class will introduce traditional klezmer modes and tunes. We’ll discuss how to learn tunes by ear and focus on the mechanics of the music.

Instruments/AM1

These classes, grouped by specific instrument, are aimed at the intermediate or advanced student who seeks instruction in the specific techniques of klezmer playing and an understanding of how that instrument functions in a klezmer band.

Melodic Ornamentation: Skeletons in a Worthy Closet/AM1 Adrianne Greenbaum

Creating melodic ornamentation that preserves and enhances rather than obliterates. We will explore baroque-period how-to lessons, listen to early klezmer recordings and pay attention to early folios, learning how to perform tasteful melodies. Everyone will create an ornamented line from a skeleton, and treat an ornamented line, reducing it to its skeleton. An old tradition that has lost its way. Best for melody and secondary-line instrumentalists.

Elements of Yiddish Music/PM1 Sherry Mayrent

Take a trip through the sonic world of the shtetl. This class examines the modes that comprise traditional Yiddish melody as well as harmonic and rhythmic elements in traditional instrumental style. Ability to read music is helpful but not required. For both musicians (instrumental and vocal) and non-musicians wishing to listen with a more educated ear.

Girls Don’t Play Drums!/PM1 Elaine Hoffman Watts

Did your parents ever say this to you? If so, this class is for you. Drum lessons for all those women and girls who always wanted to play them!

Composing on the Computer/PM1 Alan Zemel

Bring your laptop, iPad, favorite musicmaking software and other electronic music-making toys to a creative seminar on composing and arranging klezmer and related styles. Whether a beginning composer or advanced, you should have some experience with computer music software/hardware. A synthesizer and an audio and MIDI interface will be available (but we can’t guarantee they will function with your own computer). Our goal: to produce a CD of our compositions.

Make Them Dance!/PM2 Jim Guttmann and Steve Weintraub

Participants will take turns playing music for each other to dance to, developing a deeper understanding of what makes music danceable. Open to intermediate and advanced students. Dancers are always welcome.

It’s Better with a Band!—Singing with a Band/Playing for a Singer/PM1 Joanne Borts and Ken Maltz

Intensive workshop for advanced vocalists and ensemble instrumentalists, focusing on “how to play well with others.” Singers should bring lead sheets/charts for at least 5 pieces; instrumentalists should be able to read music and be familiar with standard repertoire.

Beginners' Ensemble/AM2 Benjy Fox-Rosen

Based on the popular Slow Jam, this group will concentrate on playing through a large number of tunes. Beginning students will gain experience playing in all genres and try out what they have learned in their instrument classes. Not a performing ensemble.

Traditional Ensembles (for Instrumental Players)/AM2

These are ensembles for instrumentalists in which we will prepare a piece for presentation at the student concert. Suitable for any level.

The Plucked Orchestra/AM2 Alan Zemel

An ensemble experience featuring plucked string instruments such as mandolins, domras, balalaikas, banjos, guitars, ukeleles, basses, tamburitzas, and anything else you can think of. Ability to read music is a definite plus, but not required.

Fidl Kapelye/PM2 Amy Zakar

Open to all bowed string instruments.

Dance Bands

These bands are a great way for advanced students to learn staples of the klezmer repertoire. Those who sign up for a band are making a commitment to perform several evenings, often quite late at night.

Reading Band (reading from music)/PM1 Pete Sokolow

Ear Band (learning by ear)/PM2 Dan Blacksberg

Hasidic Dance Band/PM2 Mike Cohen

Slow Jam/Benjy Fox-Rosen

The now-traditional slow jam will again take place during the free hour before dinner. No enrollment is required.

Youth Orchestra/AM2 Ben Holmes (see KlezKids)