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KlezKamp Music Program FAQ
Other FAQs: General
KlezKamp Info | Registration/Tuition
| Epes Center
What can I expect from
my four days of instrumental music classes?
There's unfortunately no way that most of us can master a
style, or even most aspects of a style, in four days, especially
when they are as jam-packed as they are at KlezKamp. The goal
is for each student to learn what s/he needs to work on next,
and to get the guidance needed to continue to improve over
the coming year. Depending on which courses you sign up for
and your playing level, you can expect to be taught such things
as the role of your instrument in a klezmer ensemble, basic
stylistic techniques (i.e., ornamentation, articulations,
phrasing, etc.), approaches to melodic interpretation, how
the instruments interact with each other, and how to play
for dancing or vocal accompaniment. Instructors can help you
analyze the status of your playing, in terms of both technique
and style, and point you in the direction you need to move
to become a truly accomplished klezmer player.
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What if I get to my
class/performance group and find I'm in way over my head/way
too advanced for the rest of the group?
We make every effort to match students to classes
and ensembles based on skill levels; that's why we ask that
you submit a tape of your playing so that we can place you
appropriately. If you feel that you have ended up in a group
that doesn't seem appropriate to your level, please speak
with Sherry Mayrent or Merlin Shepherd, the staff members
in charge of the instrumental program, to request a switch.
We strongly suggest that you do this the first day of classes,
to minimize disruption to your own learning and to the other
class members.
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I got to my class and
discovered that it wasn't at all what I thought it would be,
and the teacher is teaching in a way that makes it hard for
me to learn. Can I switch to something else?
If you find that after the first class session, your "shidakh"
(match) isn't quite what you'd hoped for, talk with the instructor
and see what can be done. If it seems as though you are in
the wrong place, check with either Sherry Mayrent or Merlin
Shepherd to see if there is an acceptable alternative. Again,
this should happen on the first day of classes.
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I'm interested in so
many different things; can I go to a different class each
day?
We think students should stick with one class for the entire
Kamp period. Our music program is designed to be sequential
and substantive, and our instructors gear their classes as
complete entities. "Sampling" them would reduce
the effectiveness of individual courses and ultimately provide
a less satisfying experience for the student. In performance
classes, each individual player has a role and a responsibility,
and leaving a group midstream often means leaving the group
— your fellow students — in the lurch.
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I'm totally new to the KlezKamp world; what should I take?
Good question! Here are some suggested programs for students of various abilities.
Please see the catalog for complete course descriptions, and remember that these
are just a few of the dozens of combinations possible.
Students just beginning on their instruments
AM 1 Intro to Klezmer Theory
AM 2 Beginners Ensemble
PM 1 Beginning Intruments
PM 2 Free (or non-music class)
Students with intermediate instrumental skills but no experience
of klezmer
AM 1 Intro to Klezmer Theory
AM 2 Daytsh af tselakhis
PM 1 Instruments
PM 2 Traditional ensembles
OR
AM1 Intro to Klezmer Theory
AM2 Traditional ensembles
PM1 Instruments
PM2 Intermediate dance
band II
Students with intermediate instrumental skills and some knowledge
of klezmer basics
AM 1 Klezmer Dissonance
AM 2 Reading band or
Mandolin orchestra
PM 1 Instruments
PM 2 Traditional ensembles
OR
AM1 Yiddish dance or Fidl Kapelye
AM2 Daytsh af tselakhis
PM1 Meditation and Melody
PM2 Intermediate ear band or Traditional ensembles
Advanced/Professional level players with no klezmer experience
AM 1 Intro to Klezmer Theory
AM 2 Reading band or
Hasidic dance band
PM 1 Instruments
PM 2 Traditional ensembles
OR
AM1 Klezmer Dissonance
AM2 Modern Klezmer Repertoire
or Mandolin orchestra
PM1 Instruments
PM2 Traditional ensembles
Advanced/Professional level klezmorim
AM 1 Klezmer Dissonance
AM 2 Modern Klezmer Repertoire
PM 1 Ray Musiker Master Class
PM 2 Advanced ear band
OR
AM1 Yiddish dance or Fidl
Kapelye
AM2 Traditional ensembles
PM1 Meditation and Melody or Make Them Dance!
PM2 Advanced ear band
Band director/arranger
AM1 Klezmer Dissonance
AM2 Reading band
PM1 Meditation and Melody
PM2 Advanced ear band
Long-time KlezKamp veteran who's done it all
AM1 Klezmer Dissonance or Yiddish Dance
AM2 Daytsh af tselakhis
or Modern Klezmer Repertoire
PM1 Ray Musiker Master Class
or Meditation and Melody
or Make Them Dance!
PM2 Peretz on Music or
Second Ave to Lenox Ave
or The Funky Side
Any student is welcome to sign up for any class offering.
Even if you have been to KlezKamp a dozen times before but
still feel you need help producing a khrekhts, by all
means sign up for the standard instrumental class again. We
would also suggest that all instrumental musicians at some
point take part in the traditional Yiddish dance class; you'd
be amazed to find out what's going on at the other end of
your music.
You can also sign up for any of the non-musical
courses; one of the concepts behind the establishment of KlezKamp
was that the music cannot truly be understood or mastered
outside the context of the culture in which it was developed.
If you feel you can handle only one or two music classes a
day, by all means sign up for Yiddish language or one of the
many other offerings. It might also be interesting for instrumental
players to take a vocal class; after all, klezmer is essentially
a vocal style and learning about it from the point of view
of singing can be truly ear-opening.
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How do I know if I'm
advanced enough to qualify for one of the advanced dance bands?
The main difference between the intermediate-
and advanced-level bands has to do less with skill level and
more with speed of learning and willingness to make a commitment
to playing every night, often at a really late hour. The intermediate
dance bands are taking a more relaxed approach to learning
dance repertoire and will actually perform only at the end
of the student concert on Thursday night. Beyond that, we
are asking all instrumentalists to submit a tape representing
their current playing so that we can determine whether individual
students are at an appropriate level for the classes they
want to take. See also question 2, above.
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Can I tape my classes?
Absolutely! In the intensive KlezKamp environment, students
can only take in so much information. These informal tapes
are lifesavers and are "gifts that keep on giving"
throughout the year.
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What happens if I break
my last reed/string or run out of tapes/batteries before the
end of Kamp?
We advise that students bring with them everything they think
they will need for the duration of KlezKamp, and then a little
extra. However, the Epes Center
does sell certain essentials.
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I feel really nervous
about playing in front of all those people. Should I forget
about performing and do something else instead?
Not to worry. The KlezKamp community is one of the most
supportive and appreciative audience you will ever find. If
you are a beginner you can always choose an ensemble at your
level that will not perform in public, as well as signing
up for the pre-dinner Slow Jam. These
are both good ways to get some playing experience without
the performance anxiety.
If you are, however, up for playing out, groups range from
the very traditional to the modern, from spontaneous to arranged
and from groups working completely by ear to those reading
music. We are confident that if you sign for one of them,
you will not only have a wonderful time but perhaps even banish
the demon of stage fright forever.
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I'd really like to
take the master class, but I have no idea what to play. How
should I decide?
The purpose of the master class is to give the student an
opportunity to get feedback on their developing style from
both an accomplished, experienced instructor and from other
students at the same level of development. In order for this
feedback to be meaningful, you should pick something that
represents your "best shot" — a piece that
you play well in your view and that you can perform comfortably.
It probably shouldn't be something you learn the night before
the first class, unless what you really want is suggestions
about interpretation of that particular piece.
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I've read/heard about
the Slow Jam, but I don't get it. What's the point of playing
things slowly?
There is a tendency for inexperienced klezmorim to play tunes
too fast, and this tendency somehow gets magnified exponentially
when you put a bunch of such players together in a jam session.
Though "jamming" (a jazz term) was never really
historically part of the klezmer tradition, we came up with
the idea of the "Slow Jam" as a way to help beginning
students achieve a deeper insight into the playing of the
music offering it as an option in the free hour before dinner.
The Slow Jam is a "protected" space in which players
who are less steady can gain some much needed experience playing
with others. The presence of a staff member insures that the
tempos remain moderate, and the material played has been carefully
selected to sound musical (and good) at those speeds.
It also covers the spectrum of dance forms, so that students
can experience something of the variety of material that is
available to play as they gain confidence and skill. Over
the years we've found that these sessions are also joined
by skilled musicians wanting to learn different repertoire,
by students wanting to practice a second or third instrument,
and even by staff members looking for a chance to play a different
role for a change. This is the students' time.
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I've never been to
a jam session before. How do I take part in one?
There are a few basic rules of jam session etiquette that
you need to know, most of which are a combination of common
sense and common courtesy.
First, if you happen upon a session in full swing, either
in a designated room or in a hallway somewhere, listen for
a while before jumping in. You need to figure out what kind
of style is being played, what the group dynamic is, what
kind of repertoire they are exploring, and the general skill
level of the players.
Second, if you do decide to join, you should try to blend
in with what you've figured out is going on. For example,
if the group is happily enjoying a set of traditional freylekhs,
the chances are that your afro-pop version of Firn di Mekhutonim
won't be welcomed. Likewise, if a group is exploring the fusion
of klezmer and reggae, a request to play Beregovski tunes
would be totally inappropriate. In addition, while it can
often be really beneficial for less skilled/experienced players
to sit in with more skilled/experienced musicians, in such
a case you would want to play quietly along and not insist
that the group play only tunes that you are already comfortable
with.
Third, if you have the opportunity to suggest a tune, unless
you have already determined that the group is interested in
learning obscure repertoire, try to pick something either
in the general rep or a tune that is simple enough to be picked
up easily through repetition. A jam session is not the place
to show off the 32nd-note extravaganza you've been practicing
for the past three years.
Fourth, if you play a melody instrument, particularly a loud
one (like clarinet or trumpet), you should probably sit out
every now and then so that the quieter melody instruments
can be heard. In general, it's a good idea for everyone to
play as quietly as possible; if all you can hear is yourself,
what's the point of playing with other people?
Also, while the posted jam sessions are always open to everyone
(unless specifically posted otherwise), spontaneous jams happening
in other venues may actually be sessions in which a particular
group of musicians have gotten together to work on something.
The polite thing to do, if you would like to join such a group,
is to ask whether they mind if you sit in.
One note for jazz/bluegrass players: klezmer tends to be
ensemble music in which "soloing" is discouraged.
While an ensemble with multiple melody instruments will frequently
pass that melody around, this is for the purpose of textural
variety rather than displaying virtuosity. Unless a jam session
is specifically identified as jazz-based, that type of soloing
should probably be avoided.
The bottom line is that most of the musicians we see at KlezKamp
are very generous with and supportive of each other. Don't
let shyness or a feeling that your chops aren't as good as
everyone else's keep you from at least dipping a toe into
the jamming pond. And don't forget: for true beginners there's
always the Slow Jam.
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I noticed that there
will be rooms available for students to set up jam sessions.
How do I go about doing that?
At the Epes Center, there will be a listing available of
the rooms designated for jamming at particular times. Just
sign up at show up at the room of your choice and see what's
going on. Or, if you want to make sure that you get the kind
of jamming experience you're looking for, round up a group
of musicians interested in the same experience and find an
empty room.
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This is going to be
my first time at KlezKamp, and I won't know anyone. How can
I find people to play/eat with?
Though a lot of newcomers arrive at KlezKamp feeling intimidated
by the huge numbers of apparently proficient klezmorim who
have been coming for years, the fact is that each year, about
50% of kampers are there for the first time, and a large proportion
of those are musicians. You will meet people in your classes,
in the elevator, and at meals. There are no assigned seats,
and you'll probably find yourself drifting from your AM2 class
into lunch with a classmate, or coming from a 5 pm jam session
with someone in that group. If not, just sit down somewhere
and ask someone what they're studying at kamp (if they don't
ask you first). Our community tends to be quite welcoming
and friendly, and you'll soon feel a part of it.
If you hear someone whose playing you like/admire, ask if
s/he wants to get together after the evening program to find
a quiet spot to play in. If that seems too daunting, find
a designated jam session that appeals to you. If you think
that your ensemble is floundering, ask folks if they want
to get together for a little extra practice. Don't be shy!
If you want to be playing with people, don't wait for them
to come to you; go to them. Don't forget that all the other
musicians there have come for the same reasons you have, and
they're probably feeling (or have not so long ago felt) the
same way you feel now.
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I'm a keyboard player;
will there be a piano I can use, or should I bring a portable
keyboard?
Definitely bring a keyboard, preferably one with speakers.
While there are a few pianos available, their use at any given
time, even performance, cannot be guaranteed because of the
large numbers of students wishing to use them. To ensure that
you have something available to play in classes and jam sessions,
bring your own. Keep in mind that if you bring a keyboard
requiring an amp, you are going to have to shlep both with
you from room to room; there is no secure central storage
area. On the other hand, if you bring a keyboard with internal
speakers, particular a small one, you may not be able to hear
yourself once you start playing with others. Each person has
to weigh the pros and cons and decide what his/her tradeoff
will be.
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I can't read music/I
only read music — is there a place for me at KlezKamp?
Why not? We are well aware that not everyone learns the same
way, and our bottom line is a commitment to providing each
student with a satisfying, effective experience. For that
reason, you will notice that we have included information
about whether performance classes work from music or by ear,
whenever possible; choose your class accordingly. In the case
of traditional ensembles or instrument classes, if you find
yourself floundering because you can't deal with whichever
method is being used, please speak to the instructor; often
s/he will be able to help you either to adapt to that method
or allow you to use the other method. If that doesn't work,
you may request a different class; see questions 2
and 3 above.
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