Concerts
In honor of one of the greatest poets of the 20th century and doyen of Yiddish poetry Avrom Sutzkever, z’’l (1913-2010), all events in Yiddish Summer Weimar 2010 are named after Sutzkever poems, and his work is also a major subject of this year’s Yiddish song workshop. Sutzkever saved Jewish and Yiddish cultural treasures while being forced to work in Vilna ghetto’s “paper brigade”, as a partisan, he fought in the woods – and always, even under the harshest conditions, he used his pen to record his world, using an innovative, musical language for a great variety of topics. With every workshop participant and every single warmly invited guest, new links are added to "the golden chain" of Yiddish (Sutzkever's name for the Yiddish literary magazine he published from 1949-95, "Di goldene keyt").
Text: Janina Wurbs / English translation: Janina Wurbs & Alan Bern
Tickets: Tourist-Information Weimar (phone: 03643-745-09) or at the evening box office
For Concerts: 14,50 and 10,50 EUR
For Friday evening: 9,50 and 6,50 EUR
July 4 : Vi azoy? – How?
Place: Mon ami Time: 8 pm
Yiddish Summer Weimar 2010 Opening Concert: Advanced Instrumental Workshop Faculty with Stuart Brotman, Kurt Bjorling, Zev Feldman, Steven Greenman, Michael Winograd, Alan Bern & Artists-in-residence read more 
Place: Mon ami Time: 8 pm
YSW 2010 Opening Concert: Advanced Instrumental Workshop Faculty with Stuart Brotman, Kurt Bjorling, Zev Feldman, Steven Greenman, Michael Winograd, Alan Bern & Artists-in-residence
The subject of this year's Advanced Instrumental Workshop is Yiddish music that was traditionally performed for listening, not for dancing. Such music accompanied cultural practices that did not survive the transformations of the Yiddish world in the 20th century through modernization, immigration, assimilation and the Holocaust. The artists in this concert are all pioneers in the rediscovery and revival of this beautiful, rarely heard repertoire and style. back 
July 9 : A shtim fun harts – A voice from the heart
Place: Ottmar Gerster Musikschule Time: 8 pm
Four evening get-togethers inspired by Shabes (Sabbath) with faculty & participants of Yiddish Summer Weimar workshops, organized by Sasha Lurje
In traditional Jewish life, the whole week revolves around the period from Friday night to Saturday night – Shabes – read more
Place: Ottmar Gerster Musikschule Time: 8 pm
Four evening get-togethers inspired by Shabes (Sabbath) with faculty & participants of Yiddish Summer Weimar workshops, organized by Sasha Lurje
In traditional Jewish life, the whole week revolves around the period from Friday night to Saturday night - Shabes - a day of rest, prayer, reflection and community. Inspired by that tradition, we invite you to join us every Friday night to share songs, music and stories, not as our audience but as our guests. Neither a concert nor a religious event, A shtim fun harts is a time set aside to celebrate being together, so each evening will be as different as the circle of people who create it. back
July 10 : Fidlroyz – Fiddlerose
Place: Ottmar Gerster Musikschule Time: 6 pm
Advanced Instrumental Workshop Final Concert
with workshop participants directed by the the faculty and artists-in-residence (see above) read more
Place: Ottmar Gerster Musikschule Time: 6 pm
Advanced Instrumental Workshop Final Concert
with workshop participants directed by the the faculty and artists-in-residence (see above)
In Sutzkever's almost surrealist image a symbol of natural beauty and a symbol of the Yiddish soul in music are blended together. In this concert, student ensembles present the results of a week of musical cultivation under the care of master "gardeners". Large klezmer ensembles are uncommon today, but existed throughout the Yiddish world in the 19th and early 20th centures. On July 11, this concert will be repeated to open the 3rd Potsdam Jewish Music Days at the University of Potsdam. back
July 11. : In Potsdam, The Yiddish Summer Weimar Jewish Music Ensemble
Place: St. Nikolai Church, Potsdam Time: 6 pm
directed by Dr. Alan Bern, with faculty, artists-in-residents and ... read more
Place: St. Nikolai Church, Potsdam Time: 6 pm
directed by Dr. Alan Bern, with faculty, artists-in-residents and students of the Advanced Instrumental Workshop are invited by pianist Jascha Nemtsov to perform the opening concert of the 3. Potsdam Jewish Music Days in the St. Nikolai Church. back
July 15 : Di goldene keyt – The golden chain
Place: mon ami Time: 6 pm
10th anniversary of Yiddish Summer Weimar – Gala Evening with dance ball & live music
with klezmer bands from Germany, Latvia, England and beyond and Yiddish dancing led by Zev Feldman, Sue Foy, Andreas Schmitges, Steven Weintraub and Helene Domergue read more
Place: mon ami Time: 6 pm
10th anniversary of Yiddish Summer Weimar – Gala Evening with dance ball & live music
with klezmer bands from Germany, Latvia, England and beyond and Yiddish dancing led by Zev Feldman, Sue Foy, Andreas Schmitges, Steven Weintraub and Helene Domergue
Today, Yiddish music and dance is a golden chain that connects people around the world as well as present and past generations. Join our celebration with international klezmer bands playing live music in concert and for Yiddish dancing, with good food and drink, wonderful company and more. The winner of the contest for the Yiddish Summer Weimar "theme song" will be announced and the song performed. back
July 16 : A shtim fun harts – A voice from the heart
see the description from July 9
July 18 : Tantslid – Dancesong
Place: mon ami Time: 6 pm
Final dance ball of the Yiddish dance/dance music/dance song for everyone workshop
with live music led by Christian Dawid, Sanne Möricke and Susan Ghergus, dance song by Efim Chorny, and Yiddish dancing led by Andreas Schmitges, Steven Weintraub and Helene Domergue. read more
Place: mon ami Time: 6 pm
Final dance ball of the Yiddish dance/dance music/dance song for everyone workshop
with live music led by Christian Dawid, Sanne Möricke and Susan Ghergus, dance song by Efim Chorny, and Yiddish dancing led by Andreas Schmitges, Steven Weintraub and Helene Domergue.
Ready to dance some more? The participants who come from all around the world to learn about Yiddish dance in this unique workshop are ready to welcome you into the circle. No experience is necessary, just a hungry heart and ears and feet ready to be seduced by the pleasures of Yiddish music. back
July 23 : A shtim fun harts – A voice from the heart
see the description from July 9
July 24 : Iber vegn – On the road
Place: Ottmar Gerster Musikschule Time: 8 pm
Klezmer/Yiddish Song/Yiddish Culture Workshop Final Presentation
with workshop participants directed by Alan Bern, Christian Dawid, Mark Kovnatskiy, Fabian Schnedler and Janina Wurbs read more
Place: Ottmar Gerster Musikschule Time: 8 pm
Klezmer/Yiddish Song/Yiddish Culture Workshop Final Presentation
with workshop participants directed by Alan Bern, Christian Dawid, Mark Kovnatskiy, Fabian Schnedler and Janina Wurbs
Many pathways lead to Yiddish music and culture, and there are just as many to travel once one has arrived. In keeping with this summer's theme, Yidishkayt, participants in this workshop explored the connections between traditional Yiddish expressive culture (instrumental music, song, dance, stories, humor) and their own personal creativity. In this presentation/concert they share some of the highlights of their journey. back
July 25 : Eydlshteyner – Precious stones
Place: mon ami Time: 8 pm
Advanced Yiddish Song Workshop Faculty Concert
with Michael Alpert, Ethel Riam, Itzik Gottesman, Alan Bern and Artists-in-residence Isabelle Marx, Richard Doust, Efim Chorny and Susan Ghergus read more
Place: mon ami Time: 8 pm
Advanced Yiddish Song Workshop Faculty Concert
with Michael Alpert, Ethel Riam, Itzik Gottesman, Alan Bern and Artists-in-residence Isabelle Marx, Richard Doust, Efim Chorny and Susan Ghergus
The tradition of unaccompanied Yiddish singing is hardly practiced or even known today, but nothing better captures the depth and beauty of Yidishkayt. In the voices of tonight's artists, Yiddish lives and loves are transmitted by song over the centuries to the present moment. The concert also includes songs by the great Yiddish poet, Abraham Sutzkever (1913-2010), who polished the precious stones of Yiddish to a high brilliance. back
July 30 : A shtim fun harts – A voice from the heart
see the description from July 9
August 1 : Vos vet blaybn? – What will remain?
Place: Ottmar Gerster Musikschule Time: 8 pm
Advanced Yiddish Song Workshop Final Concert
with workshop participants directed by the the faculty and artists-in-residence (see above) read more
Place: Ottmar Gerster Musikschule Time: 8 pm
Advanced Yiddish Song Workshop Final Concert
with workshop participants directed by the the faculty and artists-in-residence (see above)
The unique style and repertoire of Yiddish unaccompanied song is hanging today by a thread. The purpose of this workshop was to make sure the thread doesn't break. Participants spent a week learning the nuances of this tradition and becoming its living practicioners. As a counterpoint, they also explored the work of Abraham Sutzkever, whose poetry and songs so often expressed a deep love of Yidishkayt and great sadness over its catastrophic loss. What will remain is whatever we ourselves can rescue from oblivion.
Text: Alan Bern back
