Sefi’s slogan: ‘Let’s party’

By Lindajoy Fenley

“Would you like a Greek party? … a Balkan party? … a Middle Eastern party?”

Midwestern children at the Israeli Ethnic Ensemble’s workshops shout “yes” as Sefi Asfuri Hirsh picks up his bouzouki with intricate mother of pearl inlay for Greek sounding music and Talya Solan sings Hebrew lyrics.

After Sefi explains that the bouzouki migrated to Israel along with many Jews from Europe, he moves on to another intricately decorated instrument. This one is the oud, that like the bouzouki has a round back, but, unlike the bouzouki, has no frets. He makes sure his audience understands that frets are divisions along the neck that set specific notes. The oud, he explains, can play between the notes the children might be used to hearing. This is important for Middle Eastern music, he tells them.

Sometimes he is asked why the oud’s neck bends back sharply. It’s because it is not reinforced; it’s totally wood. In fact, oud means wood in Arabic.

Video: Sefi plays the oud on YouTube

Sefi’s third instrument looks familiar; it’s a violin. What’s different is the way he plays it. He holds it upright by setting it on a small square board placed on his knee and he bows it with the horsehair completely loose. This is the Middle Eastern way, a style he learned from his great-grandfather who came to Israel from Morocco.

Video: Sefi plays the violin on YouTube

It seems his slip of the tongue confusing Midwest with Mideast is a hint that Sefi had a good time on his first visit to the United States. “I’m getting into the Midwest thing,” he told children at Valley City’s Washington Elementary School.

Sefi explains that the oud is the precursor of the lute and the guitar.