Yiddish String Ensemble
Solo & Ensemble Playing for Bowed String Instruments

August 12 - 16, 2025
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. & 3 – 6 p.m. | intermediate & advanced

with Craig Judelman & Francesca Ter-Berg

This workshop, led by Francesca Ter-Berg (cello) and Craig Judelman (violin), offers intermediate to advanced string players a focused examination of traditional Yiddish fidl kapelye practices. Participants will examine the distinctive “old school” sound of historical string ensembles, investigating how different instruments functioned together to create compelling, interlocking dance rhythms and convey emotional depth. We’ll cover practical techniques including idiomatic phrasing, melodic development, accompaniment structures, and string-specific ornamentation and bowing techniques.

In this workshop, we’ll balance two areas of focus: on the one hand, developing a Yiddish accent in our individual playing style, and on the other, developing a sensitivity and love for the particular, democratic inter-musician dynamics of a klezmer ensemble. We'll explore the musical dialogue between instruments that generates both driving energy and nuanced expression in the ceremonial, dance, and listening repertoires. We’ll also connect these practices in Yiddish music to neighboring traditions from Poland, Ukraine, and Romania, revealing both shared musical vocabularies and distinctive regional characteristics.

Workshop fee: 
395 € Standard / 270 € Reduziert / 545 € Förderer / 145 € unter 18