Ira Klein & Convivencia
Ladino is a term used to describe both the language and the culture of Sephardic Jews. Ladino language uniquely fuses ancient Spanish and Hebrew. Ladino culture contains a rich collection of ancient folk songs representing a singular historical moment. For a few centuries prior to the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, religious tolerance and cultural exchange flourished in Spain. As a result, Ladino music bridges Eastern and Western sounds, modern and ancient instruments, and secular and devotional texts.
In 2021 I founded Convivencia (co-existence in Spanish) - a modern Ladino ensemble, featuring an international group of outstanding Boston-based folk performers. My aspiration with this group is to revive, celebrate, and expand the Ladino tradition.
Hailing from Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Iran, and the US, Convivencia's musicians weave a rich tapestry of diverse musical influences, representing the multi-cultural vision that is the heart of Ladino culture.
Convivencia has been a recipient of grants from the Cambridge Cultural Council and Club Passim.
Ira Klein & Convivencia are:
Ira Klein: Musical Director, Guitar (Israel)
Eleni Moniodi - Vocals (Greece)
Neil Leonard - Clarinet (U.S.)
Bahar Badieitabar - Oud (Iran)
Noam Tanzer - Bass (Israel)
George Lernis - Percussion (Cyprus)