Our school has been given the opportunity to have a free six week virtual musical series with special guests through Midori and Friends! The guests perform and teach each session. Here are the two offerings:
The Klezmatics (Monday’s from 3:00-3:45 PM beginning April 5th): The Klezmatics are a group of professional musicians who play Klezmer music. Klezmer is Jewish music from Eastern Europe. Played by professional musicians called Klezmorim, the genre originally consisted largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations. The Klezmatics also infuse traditional Klezmer with eclectic musical influences including Arabic, African, Latin and Balkan rhythms, jazz and punk The Klezmatics are world renowned and Grammy winning superstars of the Klezmer world. They erupted out of New York City’s East Village in 1986 and revitalized Klezmer for the new century with music that is steeped in Eastern European Jewish tradition and spirituality, while incorporating contemporary themes such as human rights. In the course of over twenty years they have released nine albums of wild, spiritual, provocative, reflective, and ecstatically danceable music, forever redefining and transcending traditional labels. Dates include: April 5, April 12, April 19, April 26, May 3rd, May 10 (all 3:00-3:45 PM)
A People’s History of Strings (Thursday’s from 3:00-3:45 PM beginning April 8th): Created by Puerto Rican American violinist and educator Skye Steele, A People’s History of Strings is an exciting musical journey that traces the evolution of fiddles around the world. Starting from the first bowed instruments in Central Asia two thousand years ago, audiences travel through the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and back to the USA. Woven into the narrative is Skye’s own family history of immigration, acculturation, and rediscovery, as reflected in the musical lineage of his grandfather, his mother, and himself. A People’s History of Strings explores relationships between cultures by exposing the connections between musical traditions that range from jazz and salsa to the classical music of the Middle East and Europe, all while offering a deeper and de-colonized understanding of an instrument we all thought we knew so well. Dates include:April 8, April 15, April 22, April 29, May 6, May 20. All dates 3:00-3:45 PM)
Want to register your child for this series? Act quickly, only 30 students per series can be accepted.
Use this link to register: https://forms.gle/k4zUg7875rmHqbbF7
If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact Mitchell Cheng at mcheng@midoriandfriends.org or phone at 917-903-1197.
