The KlezMeydlech with Shirlee Todd, Gail Mangurten, and Irina Kaufman

The KlezMeydlech is a trio of women who vocally and instrumentally perform both traditional klezmer and Yiddish songs as well as Jewish music with a modern flare, incorporating creative arrangements with international and American influences.

The event is free; donations are welcome. This is an in person event (not accessible remotely) and registration is required.

Shirlee Todd is the vocalist and leader of The KlezMeydlech. For Shirlee music and language go hand in hand. She comes from a bilingual home where both English and Yiddish were spoken and she has been  performing in those languages since childhood. She also performs in Spanish which she speaks fluently, in Ladino (judeo espanol) and Russian. She co-founded Jazmer, a Jewish-American band, in 1995 with Jazmer's clarinetist Don Jacobs and it has been a favorite of Yivo audiences. Shirley also enjoys singing the standards of some of our greatest American composers and the music of Broadway.

Irina Kaufman, the violinist of The KlezMeydlech, is from Belorussia and she received her MA from the Conservatory of Minsk. Irina toured with various Belorussian orchestras across Eastern and Western Europe. She immigrated to the U.S. in 1995 and performed with a number of bands here in the U.S. as well as forming her own, The Irina Kaufman Orchestra. In addition to performing, she teaches violin, piano and vocal education.

Gail Mangurten is the pianist of The KlezMeydlech and she has played in various bands and ensembles including Jazmer, which was led by Shirlee Todd, the vocalist of the KlezMeydlech. Gail is a versatile performer who is as comfortable playing Jewish music as she is playing American music in a variety of styles. Due to her versatility, she is in demand as an accompanist for both musical and theatrical productions. Gail also teaches privately and at Cappelli Institute of Music in Oak Park.