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

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

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

Eli Preminger is one of the leading trumpeters of the folk and traditional jazz music scene in Israel. As trumpeter and arranger in various ensembles he has appeared in leading festivals such as the Israel Festival, the Montreal Jazz festival, the Jewish festival in Krakow, the Sacred Music festival in Jerusalem, among others. In Israel he performs with Marsh Dondurma Orchestra and with various... Read more

Polina Shepherd was born in Siberia and grew up in a Russian-Jewish home where songs were regularly sung at the table. She studied at the State Academy of her home town Kazan and became the principal Yiddish choir leader of the Soviet Union, composing original material for large groups of voices and touring internationally with her Quartet Ashkenazim. Growing up in Tatarstan placed her... Read more

Accordion artist, composer, arranger, Ilya Magalnyk was born in Moldova, where he received his musical education and began his musical career. In 1990 he immigrated to Israel and soon became a meanigful figure in Israel's music scene. He performed with leading Israeli artists, including Shlomo Gronich, Efi Netzer, Leonid Ptashka, Dan Almagor, Zvika Hadar, Alex Ansky, Haya Samir, Alicia Svigals,... Read more

Tali Ilan is Music Director of the Israel Stage Orchestra, Music Director of the Campus Symphony Orchestra Ramat Hasharon, guest conductor with The Israel Chamber Orchestra, Israel Sinfonietta Be'er Sheva, Haifa Symphony Orchestra, Ashdod Symphony Orchestra and Ra’anana Symphonette Orchestra. Graduated from the Jerusalem Rubin Academy (M.Mus and Artist Diploma) majoring in Orchestral Conducting... Read more

Violin and violist, Cookie Segelstein, received her Master's degree in Viola from The Yale School of Music in 1984. She was Principal Violist in Orchestra New England and Assistant Principal in the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, as well as on the music faculty at Southern Connecticut State University. She is the founder and director of Veretski Pass, a member of Budowitz, the Youngers of Zion... Read more

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

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

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

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