Artists 2015
Eyal Shiloach, violinist (Israel)
Born in Israel in 1963, Eyal Shiloach studied the violin with Ilona Feher, Pyotr Bondarenko and Haim Taub. During his studies, he appeared as soloist with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and the Israel Chamber Orchesta. At age 14, he won first prize at the IBA Young Artists Competition. He was the recipient of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarships and participated in the Excelling... Read more
Shulamit Sarid cellist (Israel)
Shulamit Sarid, born in Jerusalem in 1993, began studying the cello at age five with her mother, Mrs. Bluma Sarid, at the Israel Conservatory and later with Prof. Emanuel Gruber. She graduated from the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts with special distinction. At 16 she was accepted to the Buchmann Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv University, continuing her studies with Prof. Hillel... Read more
Prof. Johan Schmidt, pianist (Belgium)
The renowned Belgian pianist Johan Schmidt was Eduardo del Pueyo's student and continued studies with Karl-Heinz Kammerling. He won first prize in various competitions, among them Maria Callas in Athens, Japan Competition in Tokyo, and was awarded the Leonardo da Vinci from Rotary International. A regular guest with the leading Belgian orchestra, Johan Schmidt also appeared with the new Japan... Read more
Prof. Ronald van Spaendonck, clarinetist (Belgium)
Ronald van Spandonk was born in 1970 in Belgium. In 2000, he was elected by the BBC as New Generation Artist, consequently invited to play with the Scottish BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Philhamony Orchestra and the Wales National Orchestra, with which he appeared at the 2002 Proms concert. He played recitals and chamber music concerts in leading venues in the UK, in Edinburgh Festival... Read more
Guy Schalom, drums and percussions player (England)
The percussionist and bandleader Guy Schalom has appeared with many major Arabic artists and dancers in festivals in Europe and USA, guides master classes and combines in his performances Klezmer and Egyptian music. His own group The Baladi Blues Ensemble focuses on improvised urban Egyptian music. He is also active in Jewish music and has worked with many major artists in this tradition,... Read more
Merlin Shepherd, clarinetist (England)
Merlin Shepherd is one of the world's leading players of traditional East European Klezmer Clarinet style, and apart from his own ensembles he has recorded and played with Boban Marcovic, Fanfara Ciocarlia, Fanfara Savale, Selim Sesler, Budowitz, Frank London's Klezmer Brass Allstars and numerous others. He has been Music Director for the Royal National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company... Read more
Mikhail Manevich, tuba (Germany)
Born and bred in the former USSR. As tuba player, he performed with symphonic orchestras and brass bands, arranging music for them. He moved to Germany and played with the police orchestra and the fire brigade orchestra. He also worked with choirs as player and musical arranger. His special ability to "play" with his hands produced invitations to appear in television shows in Russia. Read more
Carol Isaacs – accordion - England
A classically trained pianist, keyboard player and accordionist, Carol Isaacs employs pop and world music. She has recorded and toured with many international artists including Sinead O’Connor (Ireland), The Indigo Girls (US), Natacha Atlas (Egypt), Abdel Ali Slimani (Algeria), Ahmed Mukhtar (Iraq) and Phongsit Khampee (Thailand). She is also a member of The London Klezmer Quartet and Hamsa... Read more
Hamsa
Bringing together the music of Jewish Eastern Europe and Sephardic Turkey in an authentic, powerful Mediterranean mélange, Hamsa mixes elements of Klezmer, Fasil and Niggunim to create old and new repertoire. Featuring rhythms and grooves both reminiscent of the shtetl and the souk, they are performed with technical flare and charm. Its members are: Guy Shalom, percussionist... Read more
Glenn Sharp – guitar, oud, saz - England
An in demand session musician, composer and producer on the world music scene, Glenn Sharp specializes in flamenco and Arab music but has also composed for projects including Latin, Indian, African and ancient Greco/Roman music. He has studied traditional music worldwide, playing instruments including guitar, oud, saz, cumbus, bouzouki,... Read more
Mitya Gerasimov, Ukraine
Active in Jewish and World music, the front man of the Pushkin Klezmer Band, Mytya Gerasimov was born and raised in Russia’s Tatarstan, and graduated from Kazan Conservatoire. In 2008 he moved to Odessa, where he practiced Klezmer music and singing. In 2010, he formed the Pushkin Klezmer Band, performing in venues in Ukraine and in Europe. The Kiev-based ensemble is situated in... Read more
Danny Donner – piano - Israel
Born in Tel-Aviv, 1964, Danny Donner studied conducting and composition at Tel-Aviv Music Academy with Prof. Ronly-Riklis and with Prof. Reisch in Frankfurt. Graduated Education and Pedagogy at Levinsky Seminar in Tel-Aviv. He composed, musically directed, conducted and played at the Israeli national theater company Habima, the Kamery theater and at several leading acting schools. Composed... Read more
Mark Kovnatskiy, violin (Germany)
Mark Kovnatskiy is a widely traveled and highly acclaimed violinist, composer, and expert in Yiddish dances. He is also the artistic director of the international "Yiddish Festival Moscow" (RU).Mark has performed and taught at many music festivals around the world from North America to the former Soviet Union. In addition to his projects such as the "European World Music Ensemble", "Semer... Read more
Stanislav Dinerman, accordion (Germany)
Born in Omsk, Siberia, where he studied the accordion and Pedagogy of Music at the Academy of Music. At a young age, he played the piano and arranged music for ensemble ART, where he played jazz and world music. Upon moving to Germany he discovered his ancestors' music, klezmer. He joined various bands, performing and touring with them in England and Spain. Most of the works the Hamburg Klezmer... Read more
Simon Russell – double bass - England
Born in 1969 in London, Simon C. Russell is a freelance musician, teacher and arranger specializing in double and electric bass. He studied jazz, modern and contemporary music at the City of Leeds College of Music, achieving a Dip.HE in 1995 and since has toured and performed in jazz, folk and Latin ensembles at such venues as The Moulin Rouge, Glastonbury, Celtic Connections and at Folk... Read more
Frank London – trumpet – USA
Conductor, composer and creator of Klezmer and World Music, Frank London is trumpeter in Ensemble Klezmatics, a Grammy Award winner. He is also a member of the Hassidic New Wave band and leads the Klezmer ensemble All-Star Brass. Read more