A special series of events focusing on the revival of Eastern European Jewish music is coming to St. Louis in March.
First, on Sunday, March 29, Hankus Netsky, Founder and Director of the Klezmer Conservatory Band and Music Director for Itzhak Perlman’s Jewish music projects, will perform with violinist and vocalist Eden MacAdam-Somer for a concert of Klezmer dance tunes, Yiddish folk songs, Hassidic melodies, and songs from the Yiddish Theatre.
Hankus is the Chair of New England Conservatory’s Contemporary Improvisation Department. His creative collaborations have included major projects featuring such artists at Theodore Bikel, Robin Williams, and Joel Grey.
A Concert of Lost and Found Jewish Musical Treasures will take place at 3 pm at the .Zack Theatre, 3224 Locust St. in St. Louis. Get tickets here.
The next day, Netsky will discuss “Ashkenaz Rising! The Contemporary Resurgence of Yiddish Musical Culture” during a noon lunch at the Kaplan Feldman Complex, 12 Millstone Campus Dr. on the Millstone Campus. Cost is $15 and includes a kosher lunch. Register at JFedSTL.org/Hankus-Netsky.
That night, he will present a Hassidic Niggun and Music Jam at 6:30 p.m., also at the Kaplan Feldman Complex. Cost is free but registration is required at JFedSTL.org/Hankus-Netsky.
Klezmer is a Hebrew word, a combination of the words “kley” (vessel) and “zemer” (melody) that referred to musical instruments in ancient times. The common usage of the term to describe a genre of music derived from and built upon eastern European music in the Jewish tradition came into use in the early 1980s.