Yeshiva College Arts Festival Successfully Staged

Hundreds Attend Two Week Event

The Third Annual Yeshiva College Arts Festival, arranged by students Benjamin Joffe and Benjamin Schiller, took place this month with a series of events that were open to both students and faculty. According to Joffe, the aim of the Festival was to stress the importance of students applying and exercising intellectual and artistic talents outside the classroom, and to promote arts awareness on campus.

Yeshiva College Dean Norman Adler instituted the Festival in 1997 in hopes of widening the aesthetic scope of the Yeshiva College experience by giving students a chance to express themselves artistically. He calls the Festival a "playground for the mind and spirit." Adler stressed that although the Dean's Office was home to the Festival committee, the events were planned "for the students, by the students."

Dean Joyce Jesionowski feels that the classroom is where intellectual life begins and forums such as the Arts Festival are where intellectual life is further expanded, with students deriving pleasure from each other's accomplishments. She said, "I cannot even begin to emphasize the extent to which I was impressed by this year's Festival…I was pleased to see the many sides of the students."

The two week Arts Festival kicked off on Sunday February 7^th with an opening concert that featured musical performances by the students. It was the first ever YU-sanctioned secular music show, and it showcased various types of music including folk, pop, klezmer and alternative. Dov Pickholtz and David Keesey were the first performers and had the crowd rocking in no time. Next came various tunes performed by other students including Dudi Feur, Ephraim Yablok, and Josh Landa. The audience received a real treat when the hilarious Galena twins, Isaac and Seth, introduced a new kind of music termed "Galena Rock." Interestingly, they were the only students who performed Jewish music. After a brief intermission, Elie Rosenblatt and Nathan Mintz astonished the crowd with a vibrant and inspired klezmer performance. Then the lights went out, a disco ball and colorful Christmas bulbs illuminated the room, the crowds curiosity level piqued visibly, and Ilan Rubinstein took the stage. Many felt that his acoustic performance of 'Coffee House Philosopher' was at once intense and satisfying.

The evening ended with a much anticipated showcase presented by David Rappaport. He performed two alternative songs and an original disco-tech presentation that was reminiscent of "Poem Electronique" by Charles Ives.

The music was monumental, the seating was mixed, and the evening was enjoyed by all. Adam Aftergut, a JSS/YC sophomore present at the concert, said, "It was awesome. I was very impressed. I wish I had invited my friends from Columbia to see it."

On Monday, February 8^th, a poetry reading was held in the Writing Center. Students from both Yeshiva and Stern Colleges were invited to read their original works in an intimate environment. Many talented students, including Yishai Fleisher, Alter Shimon Reiss, Yehudit Robinson, Eli Shoshani, Jake Berkman, and Arts Fair Coordinator Benji Joffe, recited their poems to a more than enthusiastic audience. The Writing Center was packed and the crowd listened attentively as the poets voiced their moving pieces.

Of the night, Dr. William Lee, Professor of English, said, "It was the best essemble of talent in poetry I've seen in sixteen years.

Wednesday February 14^th was the date planned for the long awaited and much discussed dramatic presentation. However, one of the main performers came down with laryngitis so the presentation was moved to a later date. Instead, Rabbi Shalom Carmy gave a speech on Art and Religion. He read a letter written by Rav Kook addressing the issue of art and its appropriate role in Judaism. He then discussed the meaning of this letter with the audience. Afterwards, he answered questions from both the students and faculty members who were present.

Sunday February 14^th featured a student-run tour of the new additions to the YU Museum - a display of original art works created by the students of YU and Stern. Among the works were elaborate sculptures, paintings, and other forms of visual art. A microphone was passed around and each artist explained the significance of his/her work. The evening was attended by many students and faculty members, and ended with light refreshments as well as a new found appreciation of Yeshiva student art.

The next night was host to a jazz and chamber music concert presented by the YU Jazz Ensemble and Dr. Noyes Bartholomew. The event, which took place in a recital hall on the second floor of Schottenstein Student Center, began with Sonata No. 9 by Corelli, which was performed by Daniel Robbins on the clarinet and Yair Oppenheim on piano. The next piece was Sonata No. 1 by Brahms, performed majestically by Jake Solomon on the cello and Joseph Zelefsky on piano.

The evening was then enlivened by the Jazz Ensemble, featuring students Didi Weberman, Deborah Roth, Eli Pritykin, Daniel Robbins, Rena Goldberg, Alexander Remer, Joseph Zelefsky, Dudi Feuer, and Joseph Ringel. Instructor and faculty advisor Dr. Bartholomew, played the trumpet and flugelhorn along with his students. The ensemble performed three jazz songs: "Black Nile" by Wayne Shorter; "Naima" by John Coltrane; and "A Coupla Ducks," an original composition by Dr. Bartholomew.

On Wednesday February 17th, there was a student short story reading in the Writing Center. It was no ordinary reading. At this event, the lights were turned off, the podium was replaced by a green sofa, the blackboard was covered with a red, artsy blanket, and the front of the room was lit by a strange-looking electrical contraption constructed by Yishai Fleisher only moments before the event was to begin. The student readers had the option of either sitting or lying down on the couch, and they read their impressive short stories to a large audience. The themes of the stories were engaging and ranged from a comical piece describing a young boy who dressed up as a super hero to a female college student exploring memories of her first sexual experience. The event was hosted by Fleisher and Josh Abraham.

The Arts Festival concluded on February 18^th with an eventful closing dessert reception hosted by Josh Abraham. The reception featured a full course meal, free entertainment, and an awards ceremony. Many students and faculty members were in attendance, as well as a celebrity artist, Morris Katz, who has appeared in the Guinness Book of World Records for seven consecutive years for creating the most valuable paintings in the shortest amount of time (less than one minute!).

Shalom Bersson, introduced the first performer, Mordechai Levovitz, who began to sing Broadway tunes. His act was soon cut short by Dean Adler, because he deemed its content inappropriate. His short-lived act was followed by Steven Bernstein who impressed the audience with his stunning ballads. The dramatic presentation, rescheduled for that night from its original date, didn't take place because many felt that the audience was already witness to enough drama.

A half-hour video prepared by Yoni Leitner documenting the two weeks of the Arts Festival was then shown and enjoyed by all. Awards were given out to all Festival participants and the evening was pleasantly concluded.

With regards to next year's Festival, Dean Adler expressed hope that "we will have a planning committee as committed and effective as this year's. I also hope that all students participate in some aspect of the Festival." When asked if he will head the Arts Festival committee next year, Joffe responded, "One year is enough for me!"