By Eva Rendina
RMIT student journalist
Characterised by its lively and folky feel, Klezmer music will definitely make you want to get up and dance.
It is the music of the Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews, used primarily as celebration music for events like weddings, and it is the music played by Ostralishe Kapelye – translated from Yiddish to mean Australian Klezmer Band.
The brass quartet comprises four members; Rohan on the tuba, Haley playing Clarinet, Eli on the trombone, and Gergő playing the soprano saxophone.
The woodwind instruments, the clarinet and saxophone, underpin the melody of each tune, whilst the low-brass instruments, the tuba and trombone, provide the rhythmic basis of the songs. Altogether, the music features dynamic changes and upbeat tempos with each instrument blending together seamlessly.
Despite none of the members coming from Jewish heritage, Rohan says that they adhere strictly to the traditions of the klezmer genre.
“I would say we are quite traditional. I would say we’re more traditional than many of the other klezmer influenced bands you would hear,” he says.
By listening to historical recordings of klezmer, Rohan can pinpoint certain characteristics of the music to include during rehearsals and further adhere to the tradition of the klezmer genre.
“All of the repertoire we play is traditional Yiddish. Or traditional Hebrew, Jewish, that sort of thing,” he adds.
The band has performed at a variety of gigs, ranging from the Newport Folk Festival to the annual ‘Pillars of Light’ Hanukkah festival in Federation Square. Rohan recalls collaborating with a Yiddish singer to get the crowd “hyped up” at the Hanukkah festival last year.
Even though all of the band are professionally trained musicians with a wealth of experience they still put a lot of time and effort into rehearsing their songs. That’s apart from receiving Rohan’s setlist “two months ahead and then we all forget!” according to trombonist Eli.
Rohan explains that traditionally, klezmer is led by ear. So, whilst notation and charts can be used, it’s better to listen to the music and try to copy it.
He adds that he was inspired by klezmer artists like Abe Schwartz, Naftule Brandwein, and Dave Tarras; artists instrumental to the klezmer genre across history.
The band says their challenges lie in mastering new or fast tracks. Saxophonist Gergő adds that they face their “own sets of challenges with being expressive” in their music.
Looking forward, the band hopes to implement a new performance style by developing a continuous medley of songs to play during a performance.
They said it all comes down to knowing the songs well due to rehearsal, personal conditioning, and cues – alongside the tuba-led bassline which acts as a guide through each song.
Above all Ostralishe Kapelye aims to bring a danceable and vibrant energy to their performances, which reflects how they feel on stage.
“It is lively and energetic, and when you see the four of us playing together, I’d like to think it looks like we’re having fun,” Rohan says.
Based in St Albans, Ostralishe Kapelye are available for bookings and can be contacted through their email ostralishekapelye@gmail.com or found on Instagram at @ostralishe_kapelye.
