YSW 2026 Workshops

Dear Friends of Yiddish Summer Weimar!

Workshop registration is open and complete workshop descriptions and artists’ biographies are now online!

You can also apply to Yidish-Hoyz and our international young musicians’ projects - YAM Ensemble, Caravan Orchestra & Choir, and the Youth Klezmer Band.

We think we’ve put together a very rich program once again this year and we invite you to explore the opportunities that await you!

There are workshops for all levels, from introductory to advanced. Everybody is welcome!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please pay close attention to the description of the workshop levels before you register! For instrumentalists we offer self-tests to get a sense of what we mean by “intermediate” and “advanced.” If you’re not sure whether a workshop is right for you, please contact our office and we’ll try to help.

Take the test!

Thank you, and we hope to see you this summer in Weimar!

Workshop Dates, Topics and Faculty

Workshop Block 1 | July 11th - 18th
Workshop Block 2 | July 21st - 28th
Workshop Block 3 | August 1st - 8th | FESTIVAL WEEK!
Workshop Block 4 | August 11th - 15th | Dance & Dance Music

Please note!
All workshops begin at 10 am the first day and end in the evening of the last day. Please plan your departure for the day after the last workshop day, and please plan your arrival to have enough time to sign in and then begin at 10 am on the first workshop day. Thank you!

For workshops that last 8 days, please keep in mind that only 7 of those days are taught by the faculty, with one unstructured day in the middle that you can use to practice, rehearse, go for walks, hang out, or whatever you need to be able to jump back in next day.

Please take a look at the Conditions of Participation 2026 before signing up!

July 11th - July 18th, 2026

All about Khave (Eve): Women and Jewish Life Past, Present, Future
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | open to all
with Miriam Camerini

Introduction to Yiddish Song
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | introductory
with Eleanor Reissa, Daniel Kahn & Rosamond van Wingerden (artist-in-residence)

Introduction to Yiddish Instrumental Music (Klezmer)
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | introductory
with Hannah Ochner, Alevtina Parland, Johannes Paul Gräßer & Dmitri Gaskin

Intermediate Yiddish Instrumental Music (Klezmer)
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | intermediate
with Szilvia Csaranko, Alina Bauer, Marine Goldwaser & Pieter Sint Nicolaas

July 13th - July 26th, 2026

Yiddish Language Program:
Nesiye נסיעה – A Journey through Ashkenazi Europe
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m.
Week 1 | open to all
Week 2 | intermediate & advanced
with Kriszta Eszter Szendrői, Mendy Cahan, Eli Benedict & Eidel Malowicki

 

July 21th - July 28th, 2026

Advanced Yiddish Instrumental Music (Klezmer)
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | advanced
with Deborah Strauss, Sir Frank London, Sanne Möricke & Zilyin Biret

Intermediate Yiddish Song: Two Worlds of Yiddish Song – Hasidic Women’s Song & Yiddish Theater Divas
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | intermediate
with Asya Schulman, Lorin Sklamberg, Rosamond van Wingerden & Patrick Farrell

Advanced Yiddish Song: Two Worlds of Yiddish Song – Hasidic Women’s Song & Yiddish Theater Divas
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | advanced
with Asya Schulman, Lorin Sklamberg, Sasha Lurje & Patrick Farrell

August 1st - August 8th, 2026

Master Class with Sasha Lurje: Many Voices, Many Songs
3-hour workshop, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. | intermediate & advanced
with Sasha Lurje

Master Class with Ethel Raim: The Nuance of Unaccompanied Yiddish Singing
3-hour workshop, 3 - 6 p.m. | intermediate & advanced
with Ethel Raim

Yiddish Buffet: Theatre, Writing, Life Histories & More (in Yiddish)
דער ייִדיש־בופֿעט: טעאַטער, שעפֿעריש שרײַבן, לעבנס־געשיכטעס און נאָך (אויף ייִדיש)
3-hour workshop, 3 - 6 p.m. | intermediate & advanced Yiddish speakers
with Tamara Micner, Jake Schneider, Adrien Smith, Asya Vaisman Schulman & others TBA

Yiddish String Ensemble: Solo & Ensemble Playing for Bowed String Instruments
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | intermediate & advanced
with Deborah Strauss & Craig Judelman

August 11th - August 15th, 2026

Dance Workshop: Three Worlds of Dance – Hasidic, Yiddish, Balfolk
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | open to all
with Lena Anseeuw, Eli Benedict & Andreas Schmitges

Dance Orchestra: Three Worlds of Dance Music – Hasidic, Klezmer, Balfolk
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | intermediate & advanced
with Szilvia Csaranko, Susi Evans, Vivien Zeller & Craig Judelman

Yiddish Choir: Choral Songs by Women
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3 - 6 p.m. | open to all
with Esther Wratschko & Anna Vishnevska

Aug 12th - Aug 15th, 2026

Youth Klezmer Band
in cooperation with the Music School "Johann Nepomuk Hummel"
for ages 7-19
with Hannah Ochner, Rosamond van Wingerden & Pieter Sint Nicolaas

 

We’ll be publishing more information about workshops and events as soon as possible, and we’ll let you know by newsletter and social media whenever there’s an update.

So subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media for all of the latest news!

Warmest greetings from the YSW team of the Other Music Academy!