When I was five years old I found a trumpet on a hat shelf. I blew it and instantly knew this was the way to go. My career took off when I was recruited by the local klezmer kapelye (orchestra) in Helsinki at the age of 13. I’ve been on the path of Yiddish music since.
Moving between cities and continents (Helsinki–St. Petersburg–Istanbul), I’ve developed a distinct sound on the klezmer trumpet, easily recognizable and bright. I also sing on popular demand. One could say that the physicality of brass is intertwined in my vocal technique. I have had the honor of collaborating with major musicians of the scene, such as Zoe Aqua, Dobranotch, Alan Bern, Marine Goldwaser, Michael Winograd and Walter Zev Feldman, as well as divas of Turkish pop like Eda Baba.
In 2022, I began my studies in Ottoman classical music theory at the Turkish Music State Conservatory. As the founder of Istanbul Klezmer Kapelye, I function as a catalyst for the Yiddish music scene in Istanbul, attracting new audiences and keeping the clubs of the city pumped with life. The band has gone from playing gigs at local cafes to the city's biggest stages, such as the Volkswagen Arena, with its 6k capacity.
I hold a degree from the Global Music Department at the Sibelius Academy and have been a research fellow at the Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul.
In Finland, I work with a variety of NGOs in the cultural field, such as AdAstra, Komp!, and DuVTeatern. My focus is the oral art of storytelling, musical direction, accessibility, youth work, and project management. I have worked on pilot projects tailoring anti-racism education for the staff of major universities, such as the University of Helsinki, Åbo Akademi, and Arcada University of Applied Science, under the Ministry of Justice.
Devoted to music and historically informed practice I combine education, research and performance. My heart lies with questions of diaspora, cosmopolitanism, and Otherness.
ISTANBUL KLEZMER KAPELYE
The band is available for festivals, private events, collaborations and certainly your favorite aunties fifth wedding
They say that a klezmer cries with one eye and laughs with the other. Born on the vibrant Asian side of the Bosphorus, Istanbul Klezmer Kapelye is an international orchestra based in Istanbul.
Bold brass meets a soulful violin, along with a driving foundation of accordion, bass, and drums. This beloved bands mission is to keep the city's cool cats raving.
A group of musicians from New York, Berlin and Helsinki met to record Yiddish revue songs by Helsinki-born Jac Weinstein (1883-1976). Combining archival work with artistic output, the songs offer a fascinating glimpse into the history of Helsinki’s Jewish community. The repertoire includes operetta songs, ballads and couplets that portray Helsinki's Jewish life in a humorous way, the good times and bad ones.
Ad Astra's audio tales are centered around traditional festivities and the art of oral storytelling. Each story is told in seven languages: Swedish, Finnish, Ukrainian, Northern Sámi, English, Arabic and Russian.
The project has been recorded in Helsinki under musical and dramaturgical direction of Alevtina Parland and colleagues. The working group consists of storytellers, musicians, translators, sound designers, and technicians.
