Yiddish Instrumental Music (Klezmer) Intermediate & Advanced
July 28 - August 4 (unstructured day on August 1)
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 – 6 p.m.

with Alan Bern, Laurent Clouet, Tayfun Guttstadt, Danai Loukidi, Sanne Möricke, Abigale Reisman, Joel Rubin, Ilya Shneyveys & Nora Thiele



The work of Dr. Martin Schwartz in the 1990s brought to light deep and surprising connections between Yiddish and Greco-Turkish music and spawned new projects, such as the 2003 collaboration between Brave Old World and the Smyrna Trio. In the decades since, this common repertoire has inspired much scholarly and artistic work. The latest transcultural ensemble to explore this music is KaraYam (“Black Sea” in a mixture of Turkish and Yiddish), led by YSW regular and former Caravan Orchestra co-director, Ilya Shneyveys. Directed by members of KaraYam together with other internationally renowned klezmer and Greek musicians, this workshop will explore the rhythms, modes, forms, performance styles and history of this richly diverse repertoire.

Working both by ear and with written transcriptions, this workshop will include plenary sessions as well as separate intermediate and advanced sessions for individual instruments and other topics. Along with a close study of the repertoire, we will explore both traditional and more open-ended ways to arrange it for performing today.

Because the workshop is structured in separate modules, it is suitable for both intermediate and advanced musicians. Minimum requirements for feeling comfortable in the workshop are:
i)  you have a good command of  your instrument,
ii) you have  at least a few years’ experience with Yiddish music or Greek music (or both), OR
iii)  you are an advanced classical, jazz, or other kind of musician and you can learn and play by ear as well as from written music.

If your main interest is to learn the fundamentals of klezmer music, including modes, styles, ornamentation, genres, theory and history, please consider the Introduction to Klezmer Music Workshop (see the description on this website).

Workshop fee: 460 € Standard / 355 € Reduced / 635 € Sponsor / 180 € under 18