Concert with Shirlee Todd

For Shirlee Todd music and languages have always gone hand in hand. Not only does she love singing Broadway songs and the standards of the Great American Songbook, but she also feels a deep connection to world music performing in Spanish, Russian, Ladino and Hebrew.

But Yiddish music has a special place in her heart, not surprisingly since she was raised in a bilingual home where both English and Yiddish were spoken and she has performed in both languages since childhood. She has been part of piano-vocal duos and as lead vocalist in klezmer bands such as Jazmer, a band which she co-founded.

Gail Mangurten, an accomplished pianist and piano instructor, has performed with Shirlee for many years as part of their duo and with Jazmer, as well as with other bands and musical groups in the Chicagoland area. Both Shirlee and Gail have been favorites of YIVO audiences for many years.