Artist‑in‑Residence D. Zisl Slepovitch
Friday, Aug. 28, through Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026
Appalachian State University
BOONE, N.C. — Internationally acclaimed musician, scholar, and educator D. Zisl Slepovitch will serve as an Artist‑in‑Residence at Appalachian State University from Friday, Aug. 28, through Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. The three‑day residency, presented by App State’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies, App State’s Hayes School of Music, and the Temple of the High Country, with generous support from the Nadiv Funders of Western North Carolina, is free and open to the public.
Slepovitch, a native of Minsk, Belarus, is a New York–based multi‑instrumentalist, composer, conductor, and Yiddish educator who holds a Ph.D. in musicology from the Belarusian State Academy of Music. He is Musician‑in‑Residence at Yale University’s Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies and a founding member of the critically acclaimed klezmer ensembles Litvakus and the Zisl Slepovitch Ensemble. His work spans teaching appointments across North America and Europe and contributions to theater, film, and television, including Defiance, Eternal Echoes (Sony Classical), Rejoice (PBS), and Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish (off‑Broadway).
Slepovitch’s residency explores Holocaust testimony, Yiddish music, and cultural memory through a series of public events. Participants will engage with poems and songs preserved in Holocaust survivor testimonies and learn about their historical and cultural significance. The program includes a public presentation, a concert performance, and instrumental and vocal workshops.
The residency begins Friday, Aug. 28, at 6:30 p.m. with a public presentation at the Temple of the High Country, located at 1043 West King Street in Boone.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, at 4 p.m., Slepovitch will perform Songs from Testimonies: Music from the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies in App State’s Rosen Concert Hall (733 Rivers Street in Boone).
The residency concludes on Sunday, Aug. 30, with instrumental and vocal workshops held from 1–3 p.m. and 4–6 p.m. in room 214 of App State’s Broyhill Music Center (813 Rivers Street in Boone).
Questions may be directed to Center Director Dr. Darci Gardner at gardnerdl1@appstate.edu or 828‑262‑2928.
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About the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies
Appalachian State University’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies was established in 2002 to develop new educational opportunities for students, teachers, and the community. Located administratively within the College of Arts and Sciences, the center’s vision promotes tolerance, understanding, and respect for all human life. To accomplish this vision, the center works to strengthen tolerance, understanding, and remembrance by increasing the knowledge of Jewish culture and history, teaching the history and meaning of the Holocaust, and utilizing these experiences to explore peaceful avenues for human improvement and the prevention of further genocides. Learn more about the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies
About the Hayes School of Music
The Hayes School of Music prepares young musicians for professional lives as performers, composers, music educators, music therapists, conductors, and music industry professionals, ensuring the next generation of musical leadership for the state, region, and nation. Noted for quality instruction by national and internationally recognized faculty musicians, the school offers four undergraduate degree programs and three graduate-level programs. Learn more about the Hayes School of Music
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more about App State