​​​Ira Klein is a Brooklyn based guitarist, composer, and educator from Jerusalem. Specializing in Middle-Eastern music, American folk, and music for dance, he seamlessly combines a lifelong passion for musical traditions with a love of experimentation.​
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A recipient of numerous awards from foundations such as LABA New York, J Arts Boston, and Mass Cultural Council, Ira has appeared on NPR, WGBH, CBC, Jewish Renaissance, Haaretz, and Americana UK. He has performed with world-renowned artists including McArthur Fellow Claire Chase, saxophonist Neil Leonard, and guitarist Kevin Barry (Jackson Browne), and served as a music curator for Intentional Beauty, the Judaica gallery at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Ira has been invited to present performances, visiting talks and clinics at Berklee, Harvard, Yale, Brandeis, UMass Amherst, and Bard College.​ He holds degrees from Berklee College of Music and Bard College, and is a certified K-12 educator.

 

​Teaching:

Berklee College of Music

92nd Street Y

The Senesh School

Cambridge Music Consortium

Eliot Innovation School

Boston Latin School

Somerville Public Library

New England Harmonica and Guitar Intensive

Club Passim School Of Music

Concord Conservatory of Music

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Awards:

2025 - 2026 Artist-in-Residence, Kinney Center, UMass Amherst

2025 LABA Fellowship, New York

2025 Artist Working Group, The Neighborhood, Brooklyn

2024 - 2025 Expert Pairings, City of Watertown, MA

2024 Arts and Culture Community Impact Grant, Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP)

2024 Cultural Council Grant, Somerville Cultural Council

2022 - 2024 Traditional Arts Apprentice in Blues Music (under Paul Rishell), Mass Cultural Council

2023 Cultural Sector Recovery Grant, Mass Cultural Council

2023 Cultural Council Grant, Cambridge Cultural Council

2023 Cultural Council Grant, Somerville Cultural Council

2022 - 2023 Community Creative Fellow, J Arts Boston

2022 Emerging Artist Award, St. Botolph Club Foundation

2022 Artist-in-Residence, Mt. Auburn Cemetery

2021 Recording Grant, Ministry of Culture and Sport, Israel

2021 Iguana Grant, Club Passim

2010 Best Young Jazz Band, Red Sea Jazz Festival, Eilat, Israel

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Education:

2022 - 2024 Master of Music (Music Education), Longy Conservatory, Bard College

2017 - 2020 Bachelor of Music, Berklee College of Music, with highest honors

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Scholarships:

2022 - 2024 Presidential Scholarship for Graduate Studies, Longy Conservatory, Bard College

2019 - 2020 Professional Music Department Achievement Award, Berklee College of Music

2018 - 2019 Fletcher Bright Endowed Scholarship in American Roots Music, Berklee College of Music

2017 - 2020 World Tour Scholarship, Berklee College of Music

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Performances and Lectures (selected):

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Universities:

Harvard University

Yale University

Brandeis University

Boston University

Berklee College of Music

New England Conservatory of Music

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Hebrew College (Newton, MA)

Longy Conservatory of Bard College

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Museums, Cultural Centers, and Festivals:

The Center for New Jewish Culture, Brooklyn, NY

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Mass MOCA

14 St. Y, NY

Boston Festival of New Jewish Music

Greyfox Bluegrass Festival

The Vilna Shul - Boston's Center for Jewish Culture

Boston Arts and Music Soul Festival (BAMS Fest)

Cambridge Science Festival

American Public Gardens Association

Boston Playwrights' Theatre

Arrow Street Arts Festival

ArtBeat Festival

Folk Alliance International

Gallery P339, Brooklyn, NY

Somerville Public Library

Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP)

The Longfellow House Museum

Mosesian Center for the Arts

Watertown Arsenal Yards

Watertown Public Library

Selah Brooklyn

FED Social

Red Sea Jazz Festival

Animix International Animation Festival

Indie City Festival, Jerusalem

The Distillery Art Center

HaMiffal Art Center

Mattat Art Gallery

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Synagogues and Churches:

Temple Romemu, NY

Temple Isaiah, Lexington MA

Congregation Kahal B'raira, Cambridge, MA

Congregation Kehillath Israel, Brookline, MA

City of Boston Hanukkah Festival, Boston Common

First Unitarian Church of Worcester

Union Baptist Church, Cambridge, MA

Bigelow Chapel, Cambridge, MA​

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Venues:

Barbes, Brooklyn, NY

The Owl Music Parlor, Brooklyn, NY

Rockwood Music Hall, NY​

Sofar Sounds, NY

Sofar Sounds, Boston

Atwood's Tavern, Cambridge, MA

Club Passim, Cambridge, MA

The Burren, Somerville, MA

The Lilypad, Cambridge, MA

Warehouse XI, Somerville, MA

CultureHouse, Somerville, MA

The Dance Hall, Kittery, ME

Kable House Presents, York, PA

The 'Quin House, Boston, MA

St. Botolph Club, Boston, MA

Earfull Concert Series, Watertown, MA

Scorpio Concert Series, Jamaica Plain, MA

Acousticool Concert Series, CT

Levontin 7, Tel Aviv, Israel

Shablul Jazz Club, Tel Aviv, Israel

Ozenbar, Tel Aviv, Israel

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