How to Play a Doina, with Susi Evans & Szilvia Csaranko

The doina is an infinite melody – a free-rhythm, richly ornamented, improvisational piece with an expressive and lyrical character – adopted into klezmer from Romanian music. This workshop will introduce you to the amazing world of the klezmer doina.

Susi Evans & Szilvia Csaranko will explain how a doina is structured, practice with you phrases from historical recordings, and show you – step-by-step – how to create your own doina in klezmer style! This workshop is suitable for melody players of all levels.

Doinas in klezmer music are usually in Misheberakh mode, sometimes referred to as the “doina mode.” We will play a doina in C Misheberakh. Familiarize yourself with this mode in advance by listening to historical recordings of doinas played on different instruments and by downloading and printing the worksheets (available for C, Bb, Eb and bass instruments) from KlezCalifornia’s Tune Archive, line 5. Everything will be explained during the workshop.

Susi Evans (clarinet/London) & Szilvia Csaranko (accordion/Hannover) are exceptional musicians and educators who are passionate about the tradition of klezmer music. They met at Yiddish Summer Weimar in 2018 and have performed and taught at all the major international klezmer festivals including Yiddish Summer Weimar, Klezfest London, Yiddish New York and KlezKanada. In 2020 they released their first duo album, “Klezmer from the New World,” which was described by Songlines as “a brilliant recording with superb instrumental playing”. During lockdown 2021 they published the “Klezmer Playbook” and founded the KlezmerPlaybook CLUB, an online international learning community of 400 members – and still growing! In 2023 they will release their double-album of previously unrecorded melodies from the Kiselgof-Makonovetsky archive. Find more info about Susi & Szilvia at www.shades-of-folk.com.

REGISTRATION

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KlezCalifornia relies on donations from participants to cover the costs of online lectures, workshops, kumzitsn, play readings, and more. Donations of $18, $36, $108 (or whatever you can afford) are greatly appreciated to enable us to continue to connect you with Yiddish culture.

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