Milken Fund Unveils 2018-19 Schedule for American Jewish Music Initiatives

Milken Fund Unveils 2018-19 Schedule for American Jewish Music Initiatives

The Lowell Milken Fund for American Jewish Music, based at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, is a hub for interdisciplinary research and performance, shedding light on the American Jewish experience through music.

On February 23, audiences can look forward to an evening of musical theater painting an historical picture of the American cantorate, directed by Tony-nominated Eleanor Reissa. This event is one of many performances supported by the Fund, which also includes a one-man show, "On the Cantors Couch," on February 23, featuring Cantor Mendelson and Cantor Jonathan Comisar.

On May 13, Judah Cohen, an Associate Professor of Musicology and the Lou and Sybil Mervis Professor of Jewish Culture at Indiana University, will discuss innovations and evolutions in Jewish musical developments in 19 Century America in his talk "Restoring the Synagogue Soundtrack." UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music vocalists will perform select historical pieces as part of the lecture.

The Fund's initiatives delve into various aspects of Jewish musical traditions, including the concept of "Jewish musical speech," a partially lost mode of musical expression from Yiddish-speaking Eastern European Jews. Scholars associated with the Fund engage in public conversations and roundtables that analyze Jewish sound and music objects, thereby expanding public understanding and appreciation of the American Jewish experience as expressed through music.

In addition to academic work, the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience also facilitates the modernization and reinterpretation of Jewish liturgical and folk music. For example, the Center co-sponsors events that highlight endangered Jewish languages and musical traditions, promoting awareness of the diverse linguistic and cultural strands within Jewish communities globally and in America.

The performances feature special guest artists, world-class student performers, and leading scholars in the field. On January 13, there is a day of workshops called "UClezLA" led by renowned musicians, culminating in a Klezmer dance party. On February 10, the concert "Bible Women" gives voice to the women of the Bible through new lenses, featuring alumni from both UCLA and the Academy for Jewish Religion, CA. Lyrics and music are by Tony-nominated composer Elizabeth Swados.

The events offer audiences the opportunity to explore how Jewish music reflects the American Jewish experience over time and across varied cultural influences. On November 18, a performance will highlight the music of the European exiled composers of early Hollywood, including Arnold Schoenberg, Ernst Toch, Erich Korngold, Andre Previn, and others. On May 19, in collaboration with Opera UCLA, the Milken Fund co-sponsors "Lost Childhood," a two-act opera about a Jewish Holocaust survivor and post-war German confronting their own difficult pasts.

The Lowell Milken Fund for American Jewish Music presents over a dozen performances this academic year, including "ucLADINO: Simone Salmon Lecture Recital" on February 26, celebrating the rich historical roots of Sephardic music and culture in Los Angeles, and a concert by the Grammy-nominated ARC Ensemble on February 27, focusing on the works of Czech composer Walter Kaufmann and his unique fusion of Indian and Western art music.

On December 9, there is a live reading of the award-winning fairy tale "Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins," accompanied by Klezmer music and songs performed by the UCLA Klezmer Ensemble and JewkBox acapella group. On January 12, there is a screening of the Emmy award-winning documentary "In the Fiddler's House."

In summary, the Lowell Milken Fund for American Jewish Music is significant because it supports interdisciplinary research that deepens understanding of Jewish musical heritage and its role in American Jewish identity. It preserves and revitalizes lost or endangered Jewish musical traditions and languages, promotes cultural dialogue about Jewish modernity and liturgical innovation through music, engages public audiences through concerts, lectures, and academic discussions, and connects historical and contemporary American Jewish experiences.

1. The Lowell Milken Fund for American Jewish Music not only focuses on education-and-self-development through interdisciplinary research and performance, but also encourages lifelong-learning by presenting over a dozen performances this academic year, such as the "ucLADINO: Simone Salmon Lecture Recital" and the concert by the ARC Ensemble.
2. Apart from academic work, the Fund also promotes entertainment through various musical events, like the concert "Bible Women" and the live reading of "Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins," which are accompanied by music from the UCLA Klezmer Ensemble and JewkBox acapella group.

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