University During Restrictions

ver the years I have built up a significant collection of compact discs with genres O including, jazz, light music, classical music and my favorite musicals. Amongst the collection of classical discs there are some of Jewish composers from the Milken Archive of American Jewish Music. There are composers that are well known such as Kurt Wiell and Dave Brubeck as well as those lesser known such as Ernst Toch. The bulk of my classical collection comes courtesy of the BBC Music Magazine, now approaching its 29th year; I have been a subscriber since it started. This month there is a featured article on “The Lost Generation” of Jewish composers their works being brought to life through the recording company Chandos. The four composers featured so far are, Ben- Haim, Fitelberg, Laks and Kaufmann. Ben Haim [Frankenberger] was born on October 1st 1897 in Munich. He became assistant conductor to Bruno Walter and Hans Knappertsbush. In 1933 he left Germany to live in Palestine changing his name to Ben-Haim. Regarded as one of the founding fathers of Jewish contemporary music the recording features his clarinet quintet described as having Kletzmer. Influences in the compositions. He died in Tel Aviv 14th January 1894. Jerzy Fitelberg was born in Warsaw on 20th May 1903. His studies in Berlin were interrupted by the rise of Nazi Germany and he fled to Paris in 1933. In 1940 he emigrated to America. His compositions include several orchestral works and smaller scale pieces including a First Quintet. He died in America in April 1951. Szymon Laks was born in Warsaw in 1902 moving to Paris in 1920. He was unable to escape the Nazi invasion of France being sent to Auschwitz – Birkenau becoming head of the camp orchestra. Forced to take part in the ‘Death March’ he managed to escape rebuilding his life in Paris throughout the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. After the Six Day War in Israel and anti – semitic uprising in Poland caused him to cease composing he continued to write words. He died in 1983 leaving a legacy of interesting musical compositions. Walter Kaufmann was born in Carlsbad in 1907. He also became an assistant to Bruno Walter at the Charlottenburg Opera. He gained a rising reputation beyond Berlin however he saw the rise of Nazi Germany emigrating in 1934 to India, visas were easier to obtain than those for America. Much of his music is influenced by his stay in India including an Indian Piano Concerto amongst others. He finally moved to America where he died in 1984. His India legacy remains with his signature tune for All India Radio still played today. Through one of the streaming services via my computer I have listened to some of the works of the listed composers, full of surprises and wide ranging in styles, I enjoyed them all. In preparing this article I have made use of The BBC Music Magazine October 2020 and Composers of Classical Music of Jewish Descent by Lewis Stevens for biographical details as well as an online encyclopedia. Details of the Chandos recordings can be found on line at the Chandos Classical Shop

i I am Amber-Jade Bernard and this September I started a Media Production course at Bournemouth H university. I was really excited to go but at the same time really nervous. I know this year will be like no other uni year. ... freshers' week was very different from those in years gone by but the uni had worked hard to put things together for us, surfing, orienteering around the town centre, bike rides between the piers. There are many different rules this year like when I moved in I could only have 1 parent in my halls to help me but we worked it out and alternated. I live in a flat with 7 other students and they are my family bubble while I am in Bournemouth. They are all really brilliant and we have a great time together. The rule of 6 came in after a few days but as we are one household we can be together. Most of my studies are on line but we do get to go onto campus too which is great. We can’t let other students into our flat and if one of us tests positive for COVD 19 then we have to isolate together... to be honest there are 8 of us and we’ve stocked up on food and toilet roll so isolation if or when it happens will not be too bad as long as no one is really ill. Some people are blaming students for the rise in cases but we are being really sensible in our halls and although we have to leave bars and restaurants at 10pm we come back to our flat after and watch netflicks or the boys play FIFA and we laugh and have fun. My mum messages me everyday just to check I am well and we catch

up on family and uni news. I miss home and I miss our puppy Harley who will be huge when I next go home but I am not homesick. Sometimes (I admit not often) I listen to Rabbi Pete at 6:30 and that reminds me of home and I loved seeing all the photos of me and my group of friends (Gaby, Chloe and Tali) on the Sukkot and Simchat Torah services.... so did my mum!!! I haven’t seen my family for over 4 weeks now but I really hope they visit soon ... we have a date for November 3rd if the rules stay as they are and I am looking forward to that. Then I hope to come home in December but I think I will need to isolate before coming back and seeing my grandparents especially. I could have deferred a year but despite all the restrictions I am glad I didn’t. I have nothing else to compare Michael with the winning trophy it to but I am having a great time, I have made lots of new friends and I am having so much fun and of course working hard.