Other musicians who are finalists in "Der Yidisher Idol" in Mexico City this weekend

Ever since I found out I was going to be able to go to Mexico City to "compete" in Der Idisher Idol I've been very curious about the other participants. Now I can put faces on several of them.


A week or so ago I was contacted by Martin Quetsche from the German duo/trio Schmarowotsnik - he found the blog post I'd put on my telenovela site! Martin sings and plays accordion, and coming with him to Mexico is Christine v. Bülow (oboe and English horn). Click the photo to hear them playing An alter schiker (An Old Drunk).


I knew I'd seen Sarah Myerson's face somewhere recently - it was on my Facebook feed when she and Jeff Warschauer gave a concert together celebrating their graduation from cantorial school at the Jewish Theological Seminary. I met Jeff almost thirty years ago when he was teaching mandolin at the now sadly departed Klezkamp in the Catskills. Sarah graduated from the Conservatorium of Music (Sydney, Australia) and won the 2014 Arthur Einstein Memorial Prize in Composition. Click the photo to hear her singing "Ikh vel eybik dir gedenken."


Zeev Alberto Malbergier from Argentina is the only other contestant I know about. I wasn't able to find out much about him, but he was a choral director for many years and has written melodies for prayers. Click to hear him sing Du Heibst Mij Hoij (his Yiddish version of You Lift Me Up).


Mitch Smolkin, from Toronto, is past Artistic Director of the Ashkenaz Festival. His website was out of order when I visited but click the picture to hear him singing "New York, New York" in Yiddish with a very zesty pianist.


Der Idisher Idol will take place this Sunday, June 14 2015, 6pm, at Comunidad Betel de México. The contest organizers asked us to send them videos promoting the show, here is mine: