General Interest Classes  

Don’t worry – if you aren’t a singer, dancer or musician and don’t speak Yiddish, there are still plenty of classes you can enjoy.

Cantors, Klezmorim and Crooners 1905-1953: A Celebration of the new 78-rpm reissue anthology from the Mayrent Collection/AM1 Henry Sapoznik

Join KlezKamp founder and CD compilation co-producer Henry Sapoznik to celebrate the new 3-CD box set anthology Cantors, Klezmorim and Crooners 1905-1953. And listen to and discuss some of the greatest Yiddish recordings of the 20th century from the over 6,000 records in Associate Director Sherry Mayrent’s important collection.

The Alef-Beyz-Gimel of Klezmer/PM2 Pete Sokolow

A historical-musical survey course, geared toward a general audience, which will define for the listener just what makes “classic” klezmer “classic.” Using selected recordings and live demonstration, we will go through a period-by-period historical overview, with explanation of stylistic devices and how they were used by the great klezmer performers, showing definitively just what made the “greats” great.

Yiddish Film Music/AM2 Ron Robboy

From such classic songs as “Abi gezunt” and “Mazl” we’ll see and hear how Second Avenue, plush Hollywood scoring, folk and religious music, classical composers, cantorial artists, and Tin Pan Alley all shared space on the soundtracks of Yiddish celluloid.

Your Klezmer Hit Parade/PM1 Sherry Mayrent

Over the years the dance bands and jam sessions of KlezKamp have rung with the sound of many tunes from a wide variety of sources, which have appeared and disappeared, and sometimes reappeared in cycles based on the interests of staff members and the discovery or reissue of original resources. Using both official and unofficial recordings, this class will revisit the klezmer hits of the last 25 years.

A Century of Classic Khazones/ PM2 Barry Black

Join Cantor Barry Black as he explores some of the greatest cantorial voices of all time. By listening to classic 78s and through Cantor Black’s own insightful illustrative performances, the rich diverse world of traditional khazones comes alive in this survey examination for both general audiences and trained singers.

Humor in Yiddish Literature/AM2 Jan Schwarz (see Language/Literature)

Wexology: Greatest Hits/AM2 Michael Wex (see Language/Literature)

Daytsh af Tselakhis (German Be Damned!)/PM1 Michael Wex (see Language/Literature)

The Violin in Yiddish Literature/PM1 Ron Robboy (see Language/Literature)

Dertseylt un Gezungen/PM2 Miriam Isaacs (see Language/Literature)

Foodways in English/AM1 Eve Jochnowitz (see Foodways)

Jewish Life in Song/AM1 Susan Leviton (see Yiddish Song)