NEC's Contemporary Improvisation Department hosts "Klezmerpalooza - Forty Years of Klezmer at New England Conservatory!"

On Saturday March 9 and Sunday, March 10, 2019, New England Conservatory's Contemporary Improvisation department will host "Klezmerpalooza," a collegiate klezmer music festival featuring NEC alumni who have become major leaders in the international resurgence of Eastern European Jewish culture:

• NEC's current Jewish music ensemble
• Ezekiel's Wheels Klezmer Band
• students from twelve college klezmer and Yiddish music ensembles

The event celebrates the fortieth anniversary of the first klezmer jam sessions at New England Conservatory that started the klezmer revival in New England, spearheaded the formation of the Klezmer Conservatory Band in 1980, and helped launch the collegiate klezmer movement that has been at the forefront of the resurgence of Eastern European Jewish culture.

Festival Events

Saturday evening concert: 8 p.m.

Burnes Hall at NEC's Student Life and Performance Center | 255 St. Botolph Street

Festival events will include a Saturday evening concert

Sunday morning and afternoon workshops: 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

NEC's St. Botolph building | 255 St. Botolph Street

Workshops in klezmer, Hassidic, Yiddish, cantorial, and "New Jewish" music, and a dance party featuring members of the visiting ensembles on Sunday afternoon. Sunday events will run from 9:30 to 5 with a lunch break from 12:30-1:30. Workshop presenters include NEC's Contemporary Improvisation department co-chair Hankus Netsky, Klez-Kanada artistic director Michael Winograd, trombonist Rachel Lemisch, mandolinist, guitarist and cantor Jeff Warschauer, composer and singer Judith Berkson, saxophonist and singer Zachary Mayer and violinist Abigale Reisman.

The primary organizers of the event are Dr. Hankus Netsky, founder and director of the Klezmer Conservatory Band and Nathaniel Seelen of Ezekiel's Wheels Klezmer Band. 

All events are free.  Please pre-register for workshops: klezmerpalooza.eventbrite.com