Kleztory

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Kleztory
Kleztory at Concertgebouw 2025.jpg
The klezmer ensemble Kleztory during their performance at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, July 2025.
Background information
OriginFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada, Montreal
Genres Klezmer, World music
Years active2000 (2000)–present
Members Airat Ichmouratov, Elvira Misbakhova, Raphaël D'Amours, Mark Peetsma, Melanie Bergeron, David Ryshpan
Past membersAlain Legault, Henri Oppenheim, Alexandru Sura, Dany Nicolas
Website www.kleztory.com

Kleztory is a klezmer and world music ensemble founded in 2000 and based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. [1] While remaining respectful of the rich heritage of klezmer, Kleztory takes the liberty of arranging parts of the traditional repertoire. This gives their music their own personal uniqueness and flavor. Kleztory is influenced by many sources of inspiration including jazz, classical, gypsy, country, folk, and blues. The ensemble were awarded both the Opus Prize in 2007 as the best Jazz / World Music album of the year in Québec for Nomade, and the Fürth Klezmer Prize at the 3rd International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam in 2012.

Contents

Personnel

Current members include Elvira Misbakhova (violin), Airat Ichmouratov (clarinet, bass clarinet, duclar), Mark Peetsma (double bass), Raphaël D'Amours (guitar), and Melanie Bergeron (accordion). Three of the original founding members remain in the group with Melanie Bergeron replacing Henri Oppenheim (accordion) and Raphaël D'Amours replacing guitarist Dany Nicolas and founding guitarist Alain Legault. During 2013–2014, Kleztory collaborated with Alexandru Sura (cimbalom). In 2022, jazz pianist and composer David Ryshpan joined the band.

History

Airat Ichmouratov and Elvira Misbakhova during Kleztory's performance in Shanghai, China, August 2013 Airat Ichmouratv and Elvira Misbakhova during Kleztory's performance.Shanghai , China, August 2013.jpg
Airat Ichmouratov and Elvira Misbakhova during Kleztory's performance in Shanghai, China, August 2013

Kleztory has played in a wide variety of Montreal venues, and since their debut in 2000, they have performed numerous concerts worldwide including presentations in Canada, USA, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Switzerland, Romania, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, and China. [2] In 2012, Kleztory was selected as the only Canadian participant to compete at the 3rd International Jewish Music Festival in Amsterdam and were successful in winning the Fürth Klezmer Prize and as result appeared at Furth Klezmer Festival (Germany) during the following spring. [3] In October 2015, Kleztory was the only Canadian Artist selected to perform a showcase sponsored by Folquebec at Womex in Budapest, Hungary. [4] Kleztory has appeared as the soloist with numerous orchestras including the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, [5] Orchestre Métropolitain, [6] the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, [7] I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra, Les Violons du Roy, [8] and Brussels Chamber Orchestra. [9] Kleztory made an appearance at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, performing in the Kleine Zaal (Recital Hall) on 24 July 2025 [10]

Recordings

Kleztory produced its first CD, entitled Kleztory – Musique Klezmer at the beginning of 2001. A few years later they recorded a second CD in collaboration with the I Musici de Montréal Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Yuli Turovsky, which was then internationally distributed on the Chandos Records Label in the spring of 2004. [11] In March 2007, they released a third CD called Nomade. This album won them an Opus Prize in 2007 as the best Jazz / World Music album of the year in Québec. [12] In 2013, Kleztory launched new album Arrival which was nominated as Best album of the year in Traditional music category by ADISQ, complete with a new stage show.

Discography

Awards

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bruno Deschênes (1 July 2008). "Kleztory: the soul of klezmer music in Quebec (in French)". Montreal: La Scena Musicale - Vol. 13. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  2. ↑ "Kleztory: Past shows". Montreal: kleztory.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  3. ↑ "Erstklassig besetztes Intermezzo (in German)". Fürth, Germany: Stadt Fürth. 10 March 2013. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  4. ↑ "World Music Expo / Showcase Festival / offWomex". Berlin, Germany: womex.com. Archived from the original on 2015-09-21. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  5. ↑ Jocelyne Tourangeau Sons (18 March 2005). "The Kids Games / Borscht and other gastronomic delights (In French)". Montreal: Planete Quebec. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  6. ↑ "L'Orchestre Métropolitain à Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs (In French)". Montreal, Verdun: Journal Métro. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  7. ↑ Richard Boisvert (7 February 2012). "Quebec Symphony orchestra breaks the silence (In French)". Quebec: Le Soleil. Archived from the original on 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  8. ↑ "LES VIOLONS SUR LE TOIT (In French)". Quebec: violonsduroy.com. 4 April 2009. Archived from the original on 7 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  9. ↑ "Brussels Chamber Orchestra /archives 2007". Brussels: brusselschamberorchestra.com. 25 October 2007. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  10. ↑ "Kleztory – A unique fusion of klezmer, jazz, and classical music". Amsterdam: concertgebouw.nl. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
  11. ↑ "Chandos Kleztory". Colchester, United Kingdom: chandos.net. Retrieved 2015-08-07.
  12. ↑ Lise Raymond Communications (27 January 2008). "Opus Award Gala 2006-2007 (in French)" (PDF). Montreal: Press release / cqm.qc.ca. Retrieved 2015-08-07.
  13. ↑ "Kleztory: Releases". Montreal: kleztory.com. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  14. ↑ "Chandos: Catalogue". London: chandos.net. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  15. ↑ "The Klezmer launches a new album: Meeting Point". Montreal: Magazine TED - tedpublications.com. Retrieved 2023-10-28.
  16. ↑ Newswire (6 March 2022). "Newswire: 25th Opus Awards: And the winners are..." Montreal: myscena.org. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  17. ↑ Conseil québécois de la musique (21 November 2018). "LISTE DES LAURÉATS 22e gala des prix Opus - saison 2017-2018" (PDF). Montreal: cqm.qc.ca. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
  18. ↑ "ADOSQ / Album of the Year 2014 - Traditional". Montreal: adisq.com. Archived from the original on 2015-10-19. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
  19. ↑ Lise Raymond Communications (27 January 2008). "Opus Award Gala 2006-2007 (in French)" (PDF). Montreal: Press release / cqm.qc.ca. Retrieved 2015-09-02.
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