Discussion held at UCLA delves into the importance and influence of American Jewish music
UCLA to Host "American Culture and the Jewish Experience in Music" Conference
The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and UCLA Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies are set to host a two-day conference titled "American Culture and the Jewish Experience in Music." The event, which will take place on November 6 and 7, is convened by Mark Kligman, the Mickey Katz Endowed Chair in Jewish Music.
The conference is inaugurating the Lowell Milken Fund for American Jewish Music at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. Funding for the conference is provided by the school's Lowell Milken Fund for American Jewish Music, Mickey Katz Endowed Chair in Jewish Music, and Center for Musical Humanities, as well as the Natalie Limonick Symposium in Jewish Civilization.
The conference will explore the influence of Jewish customs, values, and beliefs on American music and the growth of music for Jews in America. Highlights include a symposium devoted to the legendary composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold, panels on the legacy of "Fiddler on the Roof," scenes from musicals based on Jewish topics enacted by UCLA musical theater students, and a presentation and film screening of "100 years of The Jazz Singer."
An evening concert on Sunday, Nov. 5 at the Stephen S. Wise Temple in Bel Air opens the conference, featuring the world premiere of "David's Quilt," an original, contemporary libretto by 15 Los Angeles-based composers. Funding for the concert is provided by the school of music's Lowell Milken Fund for American Jewish Music and David and Irmgard Dobrow Fund, as well as the Max Helfman Institute for New Jewish Music. The concert is free, but attendees must make a reservation at Bit.ly/DavidsQuilt.
The conference will also delve into the rich linguistic and musical heritage of Jewish communities, especially focusing on the diversity of Jewish languages and their cultural expressions in music. The HUC-JIR Jewish Language Project and the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience are co-presenting a series of conversations and performances that will cover topics such as a historical and linguistic overview of Jewish languages in Iran, preservation efforts led by elders and activists to sustain these Jewish languages, and performances of new songs in specific Jewish dialects.
Conference reservations are required and can be made at [email protected] or (310) 267-5327. The Lowell Milken Fund for American Jewish Music is a gift from the Lowell Milken Family Foundation. The concert at the Stephen S. Wise Temple is presented by the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, in collaboration with the Max Helfman Institute for New Jewish Music.
The full conference schedule can be viewed. The symposium portion of the conference will convene on campus Nov. 6 and 7, surveying the enduring template that Jewish cultural expression has on compositions found in film, television, and cartoons. This event series is co-sponsored by numerous organizations dedicated to Jewish culture, history, and language preservation, showing its comprehensive focus on both historical and contemporary Jewish musical and linguistic traditions in an American cultural context.
Attendees can expect the conference to delve into various aspects of education and self-development, as it explores the influence of Jewish customs, values, and beliefs on American music and the growth of music for Jews in America. Additionally, entertainment will be provided through musical performances and film screenings, such as the world premiere of "David's Quilt" and a presentation of "100 years of The Jazz Singer."
