About the BKCM Community Klezmer Band
Mondays, 7:30-9:00 PM
Musicians who play strings, winds, brass, percussion and accordion explore a century’s worth of klezmer, examining how the music grew and changed with the migration of Jews from Eastern Europe to North America. Students learn how to recognize, perform and ornament the klezmer modes and discover a set of klezmer repertoire. They perform alongside expert musicians at events like BKCM’s annual Holiday Extravaganza and social jams throughout the year.
No previous background in klezmer or reading music is required, and learning by ear is encouraged. Students joining this class should have basic proficiency on their instruments and be able to play two major scales. If you’re wondering if the BKCM Community Klezmer Band is the right fit for you, please contact the Community Music School Administrative team at cmsadmin@bkcm.org.
Schedule
The BKCM Community Klezmer Band meets on Monday evenings between 7:30-9:00 PM. It runs for 16 weeks, and is available in both the fall and spring semesters.
Klezmer Events
September 19, 2025
Yiddish Singalong
7 PM in the BKCM Concert Hall
December 14, 2025
BKCM Holiday Extravaganza
With Klezmer Hanukkah Hour
January 16, 2026
Yiddish Singalong
7 PM in the BKCM Concert Hall
June 23, 2026
Monday Evening Klezmer Concert
@ BKCM
Registration
To register for the BKCM Community Klezmer Band, please complete the following steps:
- If you are new to BKCM, click here to create a Registration account.
- Click here to fill out the required Student & Family Survey (new & returning members).
- Call 718-622-3300 to register.
Financial aid is available for qualifying students. To apply please contact kris.mandapat@bkcm.org and fill out the financial aid application.
If you have questions, please call 718-622-3300 to speak to one of our registrars who will guide you through every step of the registration process. For complete information on our registration process and policies, please click here.
Faculty
Ira Khonen Temple
Ira Khonen Temple is a multi-instrumentalist, music director, and embedded cultural organizer living in Brooklyn, NY. Recent credits include accordionist for Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish off Broadway, and music director of Indecent at the Weston Playhouse, Great Small Works’ Muntergang and Other Cheerful Downfalls, the Aftselakhis Spectacle Committee Purimshpil, and Zoe Beloff’s Days of the Commune. Ira was a founder of the radical-traditional Yiddish music group Tsibele. Ira creates music that is a doorway between past, present and possible futures. Working with people of diverse ages and backgrounds, Ira develops a new Jewish culture that is politically fresh, relevant, and un-nostalgic while building connections between languages, communities, and time periods. Click here for more information on Ira!