International search for new Yiddish songs

A songwriting competition created in Melbourne is calling on musicians, writers and Yiddish speakers to write new music in the language.

Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre launched YidLid: The International Yiddish Song Competition on August 1, inviting local and international entries from established and emerging songwriters, composers, translators and musicians. Entries close on December 1.

Entrants can either create an original song in Yiddish or reimagine an existing well-known song in Yiddish, in accordance with the competition rules.

According to Kadimah, the competition aims to inspire a new body of Yiddish music and encourage people to see Yiddish not only as a language of heritage and memory, but as a living language in which new art and culture continues to be made.

“Yiddish has an extraordinary musical history, but its story is far from finished,” Kadimah cultural producer Mikhaela Bourke said.