Master Class with Ethel Raim
The Nuance of Unaccompanied Yiddish Singing

August 1 - 8, 2026; unstructured (free) day: August 4
3 - 6 p.m. | advanced

with Ethel Raim

One of the most beautiful streams of traditional Yiddish song is the repertoire of unaccompanied love songs. Often embellished by vocal scoops and slides, minute glottals, and cadences that trail off, the form is largely characterized by nuanced expressivity and a compelling intimacy rarely heard in other folk traditions. 

The focus of this Master class will be on learning to listen for and learning to incorporate a variety of vocal gestures, including the ebb and flow of melody and text that comprise the essence of unaccompanied Yiddish singing. 

Ethel will teach songs from the repertoires of several noted traditional singers, including Lifshe Schaechter-Widman, Sylvia Ari, and Bronya Sakina (for examples, see the wonderful Yiddish Song of the Week blog edited by Itzik Gottesman, and YIVO’s Ruth Rubin Legacy Archive of Yiddish Folksongs). 

Ethel will teach by ear and will provide transliterated song texts and English translations. Familiarity with Yiddish is strongly encouraged but not required.

This is a rare and extraordinary opportunity to study with the most renowned and respected singer/ethnomusicologist of her generation. Ethel Raim was largely responsible for introducing Balkan women’s singing to the West, as well as a mentor to Sveta Kundish, Sasha Lurje, Sarah Myerson, and many other performers of traditional Yiddish song.

Please note! This is a 3-hour workshop. It can be booked separately or in combination with another 3-hour workshop taking place during the same period but at a different time of day (Master Class with Sasha Lurje).
The fee for two 3-hour workshops is the same as for a standard 6-hour workshop.

 

Workshop fee (3h):
265 € Standard / 212.50 € Reduced / 370 € Sponsor / 90 € Under 18