The New Klezmer Quintet to Present Special Concert on Oct. 22 at Mishkan Torah

The New Klezmer Quintet is coming to for a rare one night only appearance on Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. This exciting and renowned band will give the Mishkan Torah community the opportunity to experience its innovative, novel, and unique musical art form fusing klezmer music with disparate styles.            

The last time the New Klezmer Quintet appeared at Mishkan Torah, it literally raised the roof in 2007 before a sold-out, enthusiastic house in a concert to raise funds to repair the synagogue’s then-leaking roof. The band played that night to a wildly cheering audience.

The band has now graciously accepted an invitation to return to Mishkan Torah, for what will only be the third time, and perform a full length concert of its unique music. This festive occasion promises to be a toe-tapping, soul-stirring, energizing highlight of the year that you will not want to miss!

The band has several important familial ties to Mishkan Torah. The founding member of the Klezmer Quintet is drummer Brian Choper, the son of long-time Mishkan Torah members Jordan and Eva Choper. Well-known local violinist and member of the Fabrangen Fiddlers klezmer group, Alan Oresky, the son of beloved Mishkan Torah members of blessed memory, Seymour and Estelle Oresky, and the brother of Mishkan Torah member, Saul Oresky, will be displaying his violin magic with the band.  

The New Klezmer Quintet has pioneered its own brand of klezmer music, which takes the vocabulary of traditional klezmer and fuses it with disparate styles such as blue grass, Middle Eastern, and even classic rock to meld its own unique style. The band has dubbed the style “Klezmer Fusion.” To hear this new kind of music, which merges beloved tradition with the modern, you have to come to the October 22 concert! 

The New Klezmer Quintet with its unique klezmer fusion sound has earned more than its share of renown on the musical scene. The band played for President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009. It has also performed for notables, including Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev. The band has additionally played at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and has been featured on National Public Radio.

The band has recorded a live album entitled “The New Klezmer Quintet-Unexpected Joy,” which includes an energetic mix of klezmer, Ladino, swing and jazz. Tracks from the album have been placed on rotation on many radio stations and have been simulcast on National Public Radio.

The Mishkan Toran concert will be in the same vein. Each performance of the New Klezmer Quintet is a separate experience from the previous ones, tailored to the specific show. The widely anticipated concert at Mishkan Torah on October 22 will be no exception. The concert will include new compositions written by the band, some of which will include rock and Middle Eastern influences.

The concert is expected to be a complete sell-out, due to many people from the whole community being devotees of the band and its unique brand of music. Therefore, you are urged to avoid disappointment and order your tickets without further delay! Tickets are on sale at a price of $23 per ticket if purchased in advance, and $25 in the unlikely event any seats will be available at the door. You will want to order your tickets in advance for what will likely be a complete sell-out.

Samples of the band's music can be found on the Mishkan Torah webpage (http://www.mishkantorah.org/new-klezmer-quintet-benefit-concert) devoted to the concert. As described on the webpage, tickets can be ordered online or by phone. We hope to see you at what is sure to be an unforgettable musical evening!