Dmitri Zisl Slepovitch, Ph.D.
EDUCATION:
2001 – 2006 Ph.D. in ethnomusicology and musicology (Jewish music in Eastern Europe), Belarus State Academy of Music, Belarus
1996 – 2001 BA in Music, cum laude, Belarus State Academy of Music, Belarus.
Research
2001 – 2008 Systematic collecting (fieldwork) of Jewish musical folklore across Belarus and Lithuania.
Published over 20 articles and co-authored a book of articles on Jewish music in Eastern Europe.
SKILLS
Music: Musicology (Ph.D.), Composition, Keyboards (Piano, Electronic Keyboard, Organ),
Reeds (Clarinet, Saxophone, Flute, traditional woodwinds), Vocals, Conducting, Music Directing, Arrangement, Orchestration, Copying (Music engraving).
Languages: Native fluency in Russian, Belarusian, and Polish. Proficient in Yiddish and Swedish
Fair in Hebrew, German, Dutch, Ukrainian. Reading comprehension in most Slavic and Germanic languages.
Computer: Experienced PC/Mac user, including MS Office applications, Music notation editors (Finale), Sound editing software (Garage Band, Sound Forge, Amadeus, SAW), Video editors (iMovie, Adobe Premiere, basic Final Cut skills). Field sound recording.
EXPERIENCE:
Teaching
2011 — 2014 The New School, Foreign Languages Dept./ Continuing Education, Instructor, Yiddish Language and Culture
2013 – Present Guest lecturer / instructor / artist at Arbeter Ring / Workmen’s Circle
2012 – Present Guest lecturer and artist at YIVO Institute for Jewish Research
2011, 2012 Camp Kinder Ring of Workmen’s Circle, Hopewell Junction, NY. Accompanist / assistant instructor.
2010 — Present Jewish Community House in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, NY. Adult groups (60+).
–Yiddish class and Masterpiece class (art, composed music, and film)
2009 — Present Private lessons – ear training, piano, and clarinet (age 2+).
2010 — 2011 Brandeis University. BIMA High School summer program for high school students, Waltham, MA
Community educator (music), age 14–18. Artist in Residence
2009 SAR Academy, Bronx, NY. Teaching Yiddish songs at the music seminar (middle school, age 12–14).
2007 – 2008 Belarus State Academy of Music, Minsk, Belarus. Assistant Professor of Musicology.
2001 – 2007 Belarus State Academy of Music, Minsk, Belarus. Instructor of Musicology and Folklore studies.
2003 – 2007 National Music Pre-College School of the Belarus State Academy of Music (age 5–18), Minsk, Belarus. Taught history of Russian and Belarusian music, musical analysis, and ear training.
2004 – 2007 Minsk Jewish Community Center, Minsk, Belarus. Coordinated, developed and taught workshops in Klezmer music and Yiddish song for youth and adults. As a co-leader of the Jewish Music Club, developed programming, lectured, performed, invited international and Belarusian artists and collaborated with international scholars in academic exchange programs.
2002 – Present Lecturer at Sefer – Moscow Center for University Teaching of Jewish Civilization. Courses and webinars in history of Jewish music and culture.
2002 – 2006 Intercollegiate Center for Jewish Education, St. Petersburg – Jerusalem. Taught courses in the history of Jewish music at academic seminars for high-school students.
Consulting
Theater
2009 – Present National Yiddish Theatre – Folksbiene, New York, NY. Music Consultant and Assistant to the Artistic Director.
2010 National Yiddish Theatre – Folksbiene. Russian Outreach Coordinator (6 months experience).
Film
2007 Defiance, Paramount Vantage, Baltic Film Services. Music consultant, studio musician, actor.
2001 The Burning Land, Juja Films Corp., Santa Monica, California – Belarus Film, Minsk, Belarus. Music consultant, actor.
Television
2013 Rejoice! A program featuring Itzhak Perlman, Cantor Meir Helfgot, and Klezmer Conservatory Band. PBS: Thirteen/WNET. Score reader (directorial department).
Performance
2008 – Present National Yiddish Theatre – Folksbiene, New York, NY.
Music Director, Asst. Music Director, Reed player, Rehearsal Pianist, Composer, and Arranger (Di Goldene Kale / The Golden Bride, Gimpel Tam, The Adventures of Hershele Ostropolyer, Di Tsvey Brider, Soul to Soul, Traveling the Yiddishland New Voices of the Yiddish Stage, The Megile of Itzik Manger, Lies My Father Told Me, numerous concert programs with Joshua Bell, Sheldon Harnick, Joel Grey, Ron Rifkin, and others)
2010 – present: Edutainment events (Lectures-concerts, Multimedia programs) at University of Michigan; CUNY colleges, New York City; Indiana University; Brandeis University (BIMA and Genesis programs for High School Students), YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, Cantorial Convention held by Cantors’ Assembly, and so on.
2011 Theatre for a New Audience, New York, NY. Clarinetist, Shlemiel the First musical.
Castillo Theatre, New York, NY. Music Director, Actor, Clarinetist, The Learning Play of Rabbi Levi Itzchok, Son of Sara, of Berditchev.
2009 – 2010 Montclair State University, Monticlair, NJ. Rehearsal pianist and production copyist, Shlemiel The First musical
2009 Harvard Yiddish Players and National Yiddish Theatre – Folksbiene, New York, NY.Additional editing and orchestrations for Shulamis.
Additional editing and orchestrations for Shulamis.
2001 – Present Founding and leading folk/ traditional music bands (New York, Minsk).Founder, Artistic Director, clarinetist, and composer. Recorded 3 albums, featured on other 2.
Founder, Artistic Director, clarinetist, and composer. Recorded 3 albums, featured on other 2.
2005 “KlezmerShock!” Int’l Modern Jewish Music Festival, Minsk, Belarus. Co-Producer, Artistic Director
1991 – 2008 Simcha Jewish Youth Musical Theatre, Minsk, Belarus. Clarinetist, pianist, composer, arranger, band leader.
ORIGINAL SCORES
2012 Funeral Season – a documentary by Matthew Lancit, New York – Paris.
Lost & Found Project: DOROGA theater production, New York (touring show).
2011 The Learning Play of Rabbi Levi Itzchok, Son of Sara, of Berditchev, Castillo Theatre, New York
Traveling the Yiddishland, Multimedia musical story, Director, Author, Composer.
Produced by the National Yiddish Theatre – Folksbiene, New York. Read review
2010 Di Tsvey Brider (The Two Brothers), a one act ballet, commissioned by The National Yiddish Theatre – Folksbiene. New York.
2008 Co-scored music for a videogame “Operation Bagration,” Wargaming.Net. Minsk, Belarus.
TRANSLATIONS
2009 – Present National Yiddish Theatre – Folksbiene. Providing English / Yiddish to Russian translations for numerous productions.
RECORDINGS
2015 Litvakus: A Postcard / A Kartl, EP (pre-production): producer, clarinetist, vocalist.
2014 Litvakus: Raysn, CD, web, social media: (producer, clarinetist, vocalist)
Shabes Zing-Along (with Inna Barmash, Lev “Ljova” Zhurbin, etc.), web-site, book, CD: co-producer, clarinet, bass, clarinet, vocals.
2013 Inna Barmash: Yiddish Lullabies and Love Songs, CD, Independent. Clarinet, bass clarinet, arrangements, liner notes, consulting.
2012 Eternal Echoes: Songs and Dances for the Soul / Itzchak Perlman, Cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot. Sony Classical. Co-arranger. Read review
Litvakus, band, eponymous EP (CD), Jewish folk music. Producer, Musician. Read review (in Yiddish)
2011 Planets, with One Ring Zero, Guest musician.
2009 Tutejsi / The Locals, CD/ book, Minsker Kapelye band, College of Eastern Europe, Poland.
2007 Minsk – Kielce – Berlin/ Great Klezmers of East and West, double CD with Minsker Kapelye and Paul Brody’s Sadawi. Ferment, Poland.
2006 Kalykhanki (Lullabies), arranged and recorded a Yiddish lullaby. UNICEF, New York – Minsk.
The recording got the Album of the Year 2007 award, Belarus.
The Upward Flight. The Musical World of S. An-sky. Singer, field recording engineer. Stanford University Press.
2005 Shine Brightly, Little Star, with Simcha Jewish Youth Music Theater, clarinetist, orchestrator, Minsk, Belarus.
2002 A Fayerl Far Dem Hartsn, with Minsker Kapelye, band leader, musician, producer. Minsk, Belarus.
2001 Songs of Sorrow and Joy, with Simcha Jewish Youth Music Theater, musician, arranger, band leader, Minsk, Belarus.
1997 Simkha-Kören – with Simcha Jewish Youth Music Theater, musician, arranger, Erikshjälpen, Umeå, Sweden.
References available upon request.
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