The Kostakowsky Folio: Klezmer Music Ensemble Concert

Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel
Format: In-Person; Virtual
Admission: Free – Open to the Public
Watch: Livestream in Harkness Chapel

Program

This program features arrangements of klezmer music collected by violinist Wolff N. Kostakowsky in his International Hebrew Wedding Music folio, published in 1916. The collection, originally used as Kostakowsky’s gig book, includes traditional Jewish wedding tunes performed at Ashkenazic celebrations in early 20th-century New York City.

Audiences can expect to be enchanted by virtuosic bulgars and sîrbas, lively freylekhs, evocative slow horas, stately khusidls, playful shers, a romantic waltz, and a colorful dobriden.

These precious melodies are brought to life from sheet music to performance, offering a glimpse into the rich soundscape of early 20th-century American Jewish culture.

Music Director: Steven Greenman

Performers:

• Kennedy Brehm, Clarinet (CWRU)
• Isabel Fedewa, Flute (CWRU)
• Seth Gratz, Harp (CWRU)
• Matthew Haimowitz, Marimba (CWRU)
• Elizabeth Kuznetsov, Flute (CWRU)
• David Lawrence, Viola (CIM)
• Grace Marie Leonard, Viola (CIM)
• Yaxi Li, Piano (CIM)
• Claire Tsai, Double Bass (CIM)
• Lara Tsibelman, Flute (CIM)
• Yao Xiao, Piano (CIM)

Venue

Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel (est. 1902) is known for its Tiffany stained-glass windows, soaring arches, and exquisite woodwork. The neo-Gothic structure, located on Mather Quad at Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland, OH), commemorates the brief life of Florence Harkness Severance. The chapel offers a warm, intimate, and acoustically resonant space for Department of Music performances, lectures, and special events.

The CWRU Music Concert Series offers free concerts and student recitals in the stunning Harkness Chapel. These performances highlight the exceptional talents of CWRU students and faculty, providing the broader community with opportunities to enjoy high-quality live music in an intimate and historic setting.

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