Abraham Kefeli
Encyclopedia
Abraham Kefeli is distinguished in several fields, including Qaray (Crimean Karaite) cultural scholarship, Karaite theology, piano
, voice
and musical composition
.
A composer of classical, jazz and folk music whose work has been performed in several countries, he also plays the piano at a professional level and is an accomplished singer. He has won several awards, including a 1992 prize for folk music in the Russian Jazz Performers competition and a 1997 First Prize in the competition of the Meta-Art festival in Kiev
.
Many of Kefeli's compositions are about his Karaite cultural heritage, and he has also written numerous articles and several volumes about this subject. His books include Catalogue of Tombstone Monuments in the Halich Karaite Cemetery (2000, Ukrainian Ministry of Culture) and the Russian
translation of Fairy Tales of the Crimean Karaim (2002, State Publishing House for National Minorities of Ukraine).
Born in Simferopol
, Ukraine
, he has lived in Israel
since the late 1990s. Since 2000, he has served as Hazzan (singer of the prayers) at the Karaite synagogue in Ashdod (Israel). Kefeli is also considered a Karaite Hakham
(religious scholar).
His compositions are regularly played on US stations KKUP
and KUSF
.
from 1999 to 2001 and Edwin Seroussi
at Hebrew University of Jerusalem
from 2001 to 2002.
and piano at the Titora Institute of Art Development in Modi'in, Israel from 1999 to 2000.
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, voice
Voice
Voice may refer to:* Human voice* Voice control or voice activation* Writer's voice* Voice acting* Voice vote* Voice message-In film:* Voice , a 2005 South Korean film* The Voice , a 2010 Turkish horror film directed by Ümit Ünal...
and musical composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
.
A composer of classical, jazz and folk music whose work has been performed in several countries, he also plays the piano at a professional level and is an accomplished singer. He has won several awards, including a 1992 prize for folk music in the Russian Jazz Performers competition and a 1997 First Prize in the competition of the Meta-Art festival in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
.
Many of Kefeli's compositions are about his Karaite cultural heritage, and he has also written numerous articles and several volumes about this subject. His books include Catalogue of Tombstone Monuments in the Halich Karaite Cemetery (2000, Ukrainian Ministry of Culture) and the Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
translation of Fairy Tales of the Crimean Karaim (2002, State Publishing House for National Minorities of Ukraine).
Born in Simferopol
Simferopol
-Russian Empire and Civil War:The city was renamed Simferopol in 1784 after the annexation of the Crimean Khanate to the Russian Empire by Catherine II of Russia. The name Simferopol is derived from the Greek, Συμφερόπολις , translated as "the city of usefulness." In 1802, Simferopol became the...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, he has lived in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
since the late 1990s. Since 2000, he has served as Hazzan (singer of the prayers) at the Karaite synagogue in Ashdod (Israel). Kefeli is also considered a Karaite Hakham
Hakham
Hakham is a term from Judaism, meaning a wise or skillful man; it often refers to someone who is a great Torah scholar. The word is generally used to designate a cultured and learned person: "He who says a wise thing is called a wise man ["hakham"], even if he be not a Jew"...
(religious scholar).
His compositions are regularly played on US stations KKUP
KKUP
KKUP is a community radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Cupertino, California, United States, it serves the greater Bay Area. The station is currently owned by the Assurance Science Foundation, Inc., and is a member of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters...
and KUSF
KUSF
KUSF was a non-commercial radio station licensed to San Francisco, California and owned by the University of San Francisco. From 1963 until 2011, the station broadcast at 90.3 FM MHz....
.
Education
Kefeli attended the State Conservatory of Music in Rostov-na-Donu from 1992 to 2002, where he earned his MA with honors in 1997. There, he studied composition with Vladimir Krasnoskulov and jazz piano with Kim Nazaretov. From 1997 to 2002, he studied for his D.Mus. under Krasnoskulov. He has also studied with Israeli musicians, including Andre Hajdu at Bar-Ilan UniversityBar-Ilan University
Bar-Ilan University is a university in Ramat Gan of the Tel Aviv District, Israel.Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is now Israel's second-largest academic institution. It has nearly 26,800 students and 1,350 faculty members...
from 1999 to 2001 and Edwin Seroussi
Edwin Seroussi
Edwin Seroussi is a leading contemporary Israeli musicologist of Uruguayan origin.Seroussi settled in Israel in 1971. He is currently professor of musicology and director of the Jewish Music Research Centre at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem...
at Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
from 2001 to 2002.
Teaching
Kefeli was a composition instructor at the Troyezshina Art School in Kiev from 1997-99 and also taught composition, organOrgan (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
and piano at the Titora Institute of Art Development in Modi'in, Israel from 1999 to 2000.
Activities
- Karaite KenesaKenesaKenesa is the term for a Karaite or Persian synagogue. The word derives from the Aramaic word for "assembly" .-Layout:...
in Ashdod, CantorHazzanA hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources... - Ashdod Conservatory, the Head of Department for Computer-music
- The Acting Member of the High Religious Council of the Crimean Karaites in Western Europe
- The Vice-Rector of the Bakhtawi-Pampouloff Karaite Theological Academy
- "Caraimica" Co-redactor
- Karaite HakhamHakhamHakham is a term from Judaism, meaning a wise or skillful man; it often refers to someone who is a great Torah scholar. The word is generally used to designate a cultured and learned person: "He who says a wise thing is called a wise man ["hakham"], even if he be not a Jew"...
, Dayan, Rav
Works
- Album "Karaite Hadj (Pilgrimage) to Holy Land" - composer and Russian text author
- Traditional Religious Songs of Crimean Karaim - a CD in Leshon-Kodesh ([Hebrew])
- Catalogue of Tombstone Monuments in the Halich Karaite Cemetery
- Fairy Tales of the Crimean Karaites
External links
- Abraham Kefeli. Album "Karaite Hadj (Pilgrimage) to Holy Land"/ compiled by A. Kefeli - Slippery-Rock, USA - Simferopol, Ukraine: International Institute of Crimean Karaites, 2004 (English).
- The Traditional Religious Songs of Crimean Karaim
- Youtube Channel of Hakham A.Kefeli
- International Institute of Crimean Karaites page on Kefeli