Featuring clarinetist David Krakauer, with musical direction by cellist Aron Zelkowicz, this concert re-creates the music of the famed Zimro Ensemble, a sextet of Russian-Jewish virtuosi who toured the world following WWI in a quest to champion early Jewish-themed classical music. This rich but rarely-heard repertoire by such composers as Alexander Krein, Solomon Rosowsky, and Sergei Prokofiev, is all derived from authentic Eastern European Jewish folk sources and tells a story of the immigrant experience and international musical ambassadorship in the early 20th century. The program also features more contemporary compositions from the last half century created in a similar spirit as the original Zimro Ensemble repertoire, including “Old Toronto Klezmer Suite” by the late Srul Irving Glick (1934-2002).
This program was originally conceived and presented by the Pittsburgh Jewish Music Festival under the direction of Zelkowicz. He and Krakauer will be joined for this performance by a stellar cast of elite musicians who are current or past participants in the Rebanks Fellowship program at the RCM’s Glenn Gould School of Music, including Chelsea Ahn, David Baik, Ben Heard, Miranda Hollingsworth, and Grace Lau.
427 Bloor Street West Toronto, ON M5S 1X7
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