As part of the events accomanying the 80th anniversary of the liquidation of Litzmannstadt-Getto on Survivors‘ Day, Alan Bern, director of Brave Old World, will play on the outdoor stage in Survivors’ Park on 28 August at 8pm.
Alan Bern is the conductor, musician and director of Brave Old World, who has put together another stellar ensemble to mark this year's round anniversary of the liquidation of the Lodz Ghetto. The musician and his band will perform a concert dedicated to the survivors of the Lodz Ghetto entitled Do not despair. The concert will feature music and poetry by Jankiel Herszkowicz, Dawid Bajgelman, Jeszajach Szpigl, Chava Rosenfarb, Rachmil Bryks, Henoch Kon, Pinkas Lavendar and other artists who lived in Lodz before and during the war. The star wiczora will be accompanied by musicians interpreting Jewish music to perfection: Sveta Kundish (singing), Mark Kovnatskiy (violin), Fabian Schnedler (singing), Martin Lillich (double bass). Yuri Vedenyapin (vocals) and Jankiel Hershkovich's granddaughter Lucja Hershkovich (vocals) will be guest performers.
Alan Bern (director, piano, accordion, USA/Germany) is recognized internationally as a pioneer of klezmer and New Jewish Music. He is the director of Brave Old World, The Other Europeans and the Semer Ensemble, among others. He has composed major works for musical theater and his projects have been the subject of several feature documentary films. He is the founding director of Yiddish Summer Weimar. In 2022 he was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz, the highest cultural award in Germany.
Mark Kovnatskiy (violin, Germany) is one of the world's leading interpreters of traditional Yiddish music as well as a composer and teacher of Yiddish dance. He performs and teaches all over the world, from the USA and Canada to Japan. He collaborates with many leading performers of traditional Yiddish music as well as classical orchestras. His compositions have been performed by both classical and klezmer musicians around the world.
Sveta Kundish (voice, Israel/Germany) performs Jewish music throughout Europe and North America with a variety of ensembles. Born in Ukriane, she immigrated to Israel as a child. She obtained degrees from Tel Aviv University and the Prayner Conservatory in Veinna and trained as a cantor at the Abraham Geiger Kolleg in Potsdam. She was the first female cantor in the history of the Jewish communities in Lower Saxony.
Martin Lillich (contrabass, Germany) is a highly respected musician and a pioneer of the German jazz & World Music scenes. He performs with a variety of international projects and he is also as a composer and arranger. He teaches at the Global Music Academy Berlin, which partners with institutes in many African countries.
Fabian Schnedler (voice, Germany)has performed at festivals in Germany, the UK, Poland, Canada, the US, Finland, the Ukraine, Italy and Latvia. Together with Franka Lampe (accordion) he performed as Schikker wi Lot from 2002-2015. In 2006 he founded Fayvish, a New Yiddish Song project that brings together Singer/ Songwriter, Indiepop and Yiddish poetry. In 2012 he suggested the idea of the Semer Ensemble to the Jewish Museum Berlin and has been in the ensemble since its founding.
The event will be translated into English.
Admission is free!
Fot. Shendl Copitman