The term ‘Klezmer’ comes from the Hebrew words "klei" meaning‘vessel’ and "zemer" meaning ‘song’ - literally meaning "instrument of song". This was the Yiddish word by which the musicians themselves were known in Eastern Europe. The term ‘Klezmer Music’ was first used in the 1970s to describe the traditional instrumental music of the Yiddish-speaking people of Eastern Europe whose origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages.

Klezmer is enjoying huge popularity world wide and giving pleasure to thousands of listeners and performers. This toe-tapping Eastern European party music imbued with Jewish tonalities and spirituality resonates with people young and old from a wide variety of backgrounds.

JMI presents klezmer concerts as well as one off workshops, weekly classes and the famous KlezFest, a week-long intensive summer school for instrumentalists, singers and dancers.  Jmi also presents Ot Azoy a weeklong Yiddish language and culture summer school at the University of London.

JMI supports performers and ensembles, provides resources in the JMI library and through Jewish Music Distribution and promotes workshops and performances in other centres in the UK.

Gregory Schechter set up the first Klezmer Band in the UK which debuted at the South Bank in June 1991 and has been in demand ever since.  

last modified: January 28, 2010