This March, Manchester Jewish Museum dedicates the entire month to the restlessly joyful and deeply expressive sounds of klezmer with Klezmarch, a wide-ranging celebration of Yiddish music and culture.
Spanning participatory workshops, a storytelling performance charting the history of the Jewish left and an immersive string quartet concert, the programme explores klezmer as a living tradition shaped by migration, activism and collective memory, while firmly rooted in the present.
Klezmer is a lively, expressive style of traditional Jewish music that began in the Yiddish-speaking communities of Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages. It was often played at celebrations like weddings and is known for its emotional, almost voice-like melodies. As Jewish communities migrated, especially to the United States, it evolved and is now enjoyed as a global music genre.
Across three events during the month, the museum becomes a space for listening, learning and connection, where music acts as both cultural archive and shared language.
This moving concert from Yoyvl brings together Yiddish song, live music, storytelling and archival imagery to explore the radical political roots of Jewish music. Tracing the history of the Jewish Left from late 19th-century Eastern Europe to contemporary Britain, the performance examines themes of resistance, poverty, hope and solidarity across time and borders.
Created with special access to the museum’s archives, the show incorporates local Jewish history into its narrative, deepening the connection between music, place and memory. Songs are performed in Yiddish with projected translations and images throughout, making the experience accessible and resonant for all audiences.
Closing the Klezmarch programme, leading klezmer fiddler Anna Lowenstein presents a special live celebration of her eagerly anticipated debut album, Through the Walls.
Joined by a talented string quartet – Flora Curzon (violin), Meg Hamilton (viola), and Francesca Ter-Berg (cello; Fran&Flora, S
The stirring one-off concert weaves music with storytelling and field recordings from Stamford Hill, bringing voices and lived experiences into the music. The outcome is a quietly powerful portrait of a community, where personal history, migration and tradition are held together through music that feels both deeply rooted and starkly contemporary.
Manchester Jewish Museum, 190 Cheetham Hill Rd, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M8 8LW
www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com
- Words:
- Wolf McFarlane
- Published on:
- Mon 23 Feb 2026
The season opens with a welcoming day of music-making led by Daniel Mawson and Richard Fay, inviting musicians of all abilities to take part. The morning Klezmer Tune Club focuses on learning a new tune together, combining musical practice with historical and cultural context using sheet music, recordings and learning by ear. Simply bring your instrument along and settle in for a free, unique creative experience.
After lunch, KlezJam! shifts into an informal open folk session, where players can join in, listen, socialise and share music in a relaxed environment. With no pressure to perform and space for beginners and seasoned players alike, the session offers an accessible entry point into klezmer as a social and communal tradition.