How can folk music reclaim lost stories, protest injustice, and tell the stories of marginalized voices?
By engaging with the work of contemporary artists, we will learn how artists around the world are using a traditional music lens to deliver poignant and provocative contemporary messages of healing. Audiences will be invited to engage in discussion.
About the Presenter:
Ira Klein is an award-winning interdisciplinary musician and educator from Jerusalem, Israel. He is an alumni of Berklee College of Music, where he focused on the study of blues and Appalachian music. Ira is also active in Ladino (Jewish Sepharadic) music, leading the Boston-based ensemble Convivencia. Invisible Treasure, Ira's debut EP, has received accolades from publications such as Americana UK, the Bluegrass Situation, and WTJU. Ira is fascinated by folk traditions, and believes that when ancient songs meet a contemporary interpretive lens, the creative possibilities are boundless. He has performed at the MFA Boston, Harvard University, Mass MOCA, and The Red Sea Jazz Festival in Israel. He is the recipient of awards from Mass Cultural Council, Mount Auburn Cemetery, St. Botolph Club Foundation, J Arts Boston, and Club Passim. As an educator, Ira has taught at Berklee College of Music, the Cambridge Music Consortium, and Club Passim School of Music.
Questions? Contact Kerry: keodonnell@somervillema.gov
This program is supported in part by the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
