Keyna Hora Klezmer Band

Events

The Keyna Hora Klezmer Band is based in Syracuse, New York.

Klezmer goes to School

Tuesday, May 14, 2024
2 pm

Educational performance

school students & faculty only

Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville

Friday, Mar 29, 2024
7:00 pm

Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville
5110 Jamesville Rd, Jamesville, NY

Free

Betts Branch Library

Saturday, Jan 13, 2024
3-4 pm

Betts Branch Library
4862 South Salina St, Syracuse, NY

Free

Chanukah Party at The Oaks

Tuesday, Dec 12, 2023
7:00 pm

The Oaks
18 Arbor Lane, off Genesee St, Dewitt, NY

Open to the public
Free

Before Fiddler Matinee show

Sunday Dec 10, 2023
1:30 pm

CNY Playhouse, 116 W Glenn Ave, Syracuse, NY 13205

Tickets for show

Chanukah lunch at the JCC

Friday Dec 8, 2023
lunch @12:00, music @12:15pm

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center
Dewitt, NY

Open to the public
Cost for lunch

Thanksgiving with Beth Sholom, Pebble Hill Presbytarian, & Islamic Society CNY

Sunday, Nov 19, 2023
service 4pm, band after

Congregation Beth Sholom - Chevra Shas
18 Patsy Lane, Jamesville, NY

Open to the public
Free

Syracuse Klezfest

Sunday, September 10, 2023
12-4pm (we play at 12-1pm)

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center,
Dewitt, NY

Free, outdoors
Food($) available

Jewish Community Center

Monday, Jul 24, 2023
Senior dinner 5:00pm

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center
Dewitt, NY

Open to the public
Dinner fee

Jewish Community Center

Friday, Jun 16, 2023
Small group TBD 2:00pm

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center
Dewitt, NY

Open to the public

Talent Show Beth Sholom

Sunday, May 21, 2023
background music 4:00pm

Congregation Beth Sholom - Chevra Shas
18 Patsy Lane, Jamesville, NY

open to the public,
tickets

Klezmer goes to School

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Educational performance

school students & faculty only

Hazak at Beth Sholom

Sunday, April 2, 2023
2:00pm

Congregation Beth Sholom - Chevra Shas
18 Patsy Lane, Jamesville, NY

open to the public, free

Jewish Community Center

Sunday, Mar 19, 2023
2:00 - 3:30 pm

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center
Dewitt, NY

Open to the public
Refreshments

Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville

Friday, Mar 10, 2023
7:00 pm

Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville
5110 Jamesville Rd, Jamesville, NY

Free, indoors
Please wear a mask

Betts Branch Library

Saturday, Jan 28, 2023
3-4 pm

Betts Branch Library
4862 South Salina St, Syracuse, NY

Free, indoors
Please wear a mask

Chanukah Party at The Oaks

Tuesday, Dec 20, 2022
7:00 pm

The Oaks
18 Arbor Lane, off Genesee St, Dewitt, NY

Open to the public
Masks, free

Temple Adath Yeshurun: Chanukah Party

Tuesday, Dec 13, 2022
1:00 pm

Temple Adath Yeshurun
450 Kimber Rd, Syracuse, NY

PRIVATE
Not open to the public

Thanksgiving with Beth Sholom, Pebble Hill Presbytarian, & Islamic Society CNY

Sunday, Nov 20, 2022
service 4pm, band after

Pebble Hill Presbytarian
5299 Jamesville Rd, Syracuse, NY

Open to the public
Free

Syracuse Klezfest

Sunday, September 18, 2022

Sam Pomeranz Jewish Community Center,
Dewitt, NY

Free, outdoors

Cultural Festival

Thursday, June 2, 2022
6pm

Moses-Dewitt Elem School
201 Jamesville Rd, Syracuse, NY

Free, indoors
Please wear a mask

Private party

Saturday, May 14, 2022
Noon

Clubhouse
135 Miller Dr Pocono Pines, PA

Private party

Thanksgiving at Beth Sholom

Sunday, Nov 21, 2021
4:00pm

Congregation Beth Sholom - Chevra Shas
18 Patsy Lane, Jamesville, NY

open to the public, free
please wear a mask and be vaccinated

Return to The Oaks!

Tuesday July 6, 2020
7pm

4101 E Genesee St, Syracuse, NY 13214

We're back! (and vaccinated!)

About

Lively, ethnic Klezmer dances and Yiddish folk songs are the specialties of the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band.
Everyone is encouraged to sing, dance, and clap to the music.

16th Century

History of Klezmer

Klezmer music is the traditional instrumental music of the Jews of Eastern Europe. Hasidic Jews were encouraged to express their piety through the ecstatic fervor of music and dance. The original Klezmorim played at both Jewish and Christian social events. The soulful music of the synagogue mixed with the verve of Gypsy melody is crucial to the Klezmer sound.
1995

Our Humble Beginnings

Keyna Hora Klezmer Band began years ago after Sid Lipton attended the Yiddish Folk Arts Festival ("KlezKamp"). He returned "high" on the Eastern European sound and beat, and was determined to start a band in Central New York. The first three members were: Marge Schlisserman on piano, Sam Katz on fiddle, and Sid on banjo.
The Early Days

all those years

Later joiners, but no less enthusiastic, are Al Kosoff and Mark Wolfe, percussion; Mimi Weiner, vocal and violin; Neil Novelli, banjo; Carl Borek and Megan McPherson, clarinet; Harry Sommer, vocal and dance leader; Harvey Pearl, mandolin; Ernie Wass (Violin), Sue Wass (keyboard), Cheryl Wolfe, vocal and dance; and Sam Young, baritone horn. Our repertoire shows the influence of jazz, rock, swing and New Age. The clarinet has joined the violin, as the major solo pieces. Klezmer music is now performed with brass, percussion, accordion….almost any instrument can be found in a Klezmer band.
Today

Big Dance Party

The band now consists of 15 members, rehearses weekly, and plays at Jewish citywide celebrations, synagogue events, nursing homes, dances, parties, weddings, and bar mitzvahs. The program includes shers, freylakhs, horas (all lively dances), doinas, marches, bulgars, nigns, polkas, mazurkas, hopaks, and waltzes. Vocals include ballads and show tunes from Yiddish theater.
Enjoy
the
music!

Our Band Members

The current active members of the Keyna Hora Band are listed here. Not all members play at each event.

Sid Lipton

Founder, Banjo

SID is the founding member and manager of the Keyna Hora Band. Unfailingly diplomatic, he keeps the group happy and supplied with great music. Sid gives the band solid banjo support, which he perfects with constant practice, lessons, and attendance at klezmer seminars. He plays in Dixieland and banjo bands when not performing with Keyna Hora.

Mimi Weiner

Director, Violin

MIMI is director, conductor, and violinist. A retired tech editor from GE, Mimi has led and participated in many CNY choral and instrumental groups. After attending “KlezKamp” she became enamored of the klezmer genre.

Chongchun Chen

Dance and Vocals

CHONG has found her tribe in the klezmer band. She dances and sings in her native Chinese as well as Russian, English and Yiddish. In the real world, she is a distinguished professor of Chinese at Syracuse University.

Terry Culbertson

Piano, Violin

TERRY is one of the newer mambers of the band, and plays violin and piano (but not at the same time).

Jan Gilkey

Clarinet

JAN brings her experience as a professional musician to the band, kicking us all up a notch.

Paul Goldsman

Mandolin

PAUL enjoys playing mandolin with Keyna Hora. Long ago, in a land far, far away, Paul played trombone in the veterans' marching band.

Linda d’Imperio

Dance Leader

LINDA is versed in all aspects of Hasidic and Jewish folk dancing. A special talent is her ability to get members of the audience up on the dance floor to enthusiastically take part on the klezmer spirit.

Allen Kosoff

Emeritus, Drums

AL is an enthusiastic drummer and an architect by profession. One of the first people to learn the klezmer beat in CNY, Allen finds playing in the KHKB fun, a challenge, and deeply fulfilling. You have to be really committed to bring a complete drum set to every rehearsal and Allen never misses a beat.

Elaine Meltzer

Violin

ELAINE is a professor of Spanish at Oswego and Syracuse University and loves all things Jewish, especially the music and the rich tradition.

Harvey Pearl

Mandolin

HARVEY, at age 10, interrupted his stickball games to practice classical mandolin. He played with the Fraternal Mandolin Orchestra at Town Hall in New York City, where mandolins substituted for violins, and included rare instruments like the mandola, mandocello and concertina. Nowadays, Harvey flexes his fingers on a new personally designed mandolin.

Michelle Rosenberg

Violin

MICHELLE, is a new and very welcome addition to our strings section. Michelle played in a youth klezmer band in Detroit in high school and is excited to be a part of the Syrcause klezmer band. In her free time she works as a pharmacist and raises her four children.

Britta Serog

Cello

BRITTA is thrilled to be learning the finer points of klezmer music. Britta's son, Aaron, often plays with the band when he's in town. Britta also maintains this web page and would like to know if there are any typos or other problems.

Harry Sommer

Dance leader, Vocals

HARRY is a dynamo of lively energy and joy, and really enjoys helping others learn dance steps. He is a natural singer with great vocal power, technique, and interpretation. He is a one-man promoter of klezmer happiness.

Ernie Wass

Tuba, Violin

ERNIE played violin and tuba in his high school orchestra and band. For 25 years he played violin in the Onondaga Civic Symphony. He also plays tuba in the Baldwinsville Community Band and Keyna Hora.

Sue Wass

Piano

SUE began playing piano at age 8, took classical piano lessons through high school, and taught piano for many years. She has continued performing throughout her life and especially enjoys the upbeat rhythms of the klezmer genre.

Mark Wolfe

Drums and Accordion

MARK's musical background includes piano, organ, bongos, recorder, accordion, drums, and all forms of percussion. He has played with KHKB, Jonathan Dinkin & Klezmercuse, the Spiritual Jazz Band, Eddie Fagan & Friends, Kol Echad, and Reggie Steele & the Melody Makers.

Rosalie Young

Poyk Drums

ROSALIE Rosalie Young is a native Syracusan who returned to Central New York following college at Penn State and in New York City. After teaching at SUNY Oswego for 17 years, she is back to her former life as a counselor at Syracuse Jewish Family Service. She enjoys spending time with her 10 grandchildren and playing the poyk (percussion) with the Keyna Hora Klezmer band.

The Keyna Hora Band also hosts guest vocalists and visiting musicians.

Testimonials

"This is a wonderful website. Thank you so much to the band for this beautiful music."
Chiam Friedman

The Keyna Hora band has been practicing at The Oaks once a week for the past 10 years, and also gives us formal concerts on several Jewish Holidays. The residents enjoy the dancing and clap along with the lively music. The music is never boring and a lot of fun for all ages.
Janis Martin, Activities Director, The Oaks at Menorah Park, Syracuse, NY

The Keyna Hora Klezmer Band played a wide variety of music for HAZAK including Klezmer, Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, Liturgical, Chassidic, popular songs and show tunes. Mimi and the band received many favorable compliments from our HAZAK audience for their upbeat entertainment. HAZAK appreciates and thanks the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band for the wonderful concerts.
Carol Chottiner, HAZAK Program Coordinator, Syracuse, NY

The music was mesmerizing; a mood of mirth and joy pervaded the banquet hall; and hundreds participated in traditional Hebrew dancing. Our guests were enthralled, and we, in turn, received superlatives to have had such a fantastic group at our daughter's wedding.
Corcoran-Skeer wedding at Temple Society of Concord, Syracuse, NY

...had a fantastic time enjoying the music and dancing with the Keyna Hora Klezmer band. The crowd assembled clapped and sang along with the music of Keyna Hora and many got up and danced with Harry, the charismatic dance instructor and leader.
Albert Singer, 150th anniversary Temple Gates of Heaven, Schenectady, 3/2004.

Just a short note to express our thanks and gratitude to you, Sid and the band for the wonderful evening. The music brought it all together and the audience both Jewish and Christian were absolutely "into it"..even if they were not dancing. Keyna Hora made this a truly memorable Shabbat and Hanukkah.
Mel Shindler

In my opinion, it was a complete success, and so much because you were there to add to the fun. I hope I can count on you again to provide this special population with more opportunities to socialize with their Jewish peers.
Sally Lapides

Everyone who attended my second Bar Mitzvah (83) was delighted with the music and vocals by Keyna Hora. There was a mixture of music for couples dancing and easy line dancing which was led by a most personable M.C. as well as whatever one requested in the way of novelty music.
Dr. Milton Kerker

While Keyna Hora Klezmer Band is a great choice for parties, dances, weddings, and bar mitzvahs, I would also recommend them for concerts. They are excellent self-presenters who can make their music and traditions accessible and compelling to even the most general audiences.
Daniel Ward, Folklorist

I am looking forward with greatest pleasure to again enjoy with my many friends the music of the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band. Their delightful fusion of vocal, wind, string, percussion and piano, playing traditional Jewish and American dance tunes is an incentive for jollity and relaxation.
Izzy Warshaw, 101st birthday party at the Oaks in DeWitt, NY

Keyna Hora Klezmer Band added tremendous spirit and celebration to our Simchat Torah celebration. With their wonderful music and dance instructor helping us move our feet, we were able to truly enjoy the specialness of the day.
Rabbi Michele Medwin, Temple Concord, Binghamton, NY, Simchat Torah, 9-2002

thank you all for the great job you did providing music, dance encouragement and ambiance for Eli"s bar mitzvah. You were all totally professional but warm and friendly, too. Many of our guests (and I) had a great time dancing
Paula Weiss, Bar Mitzvah,Saratoga Springs, NY

If you want an up-lifting, joyous experience, listen to the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band! ..The night they performed, the air was electric with exuberance and, if there had been room in the crowded living room of the hosts, the audience would have been dancing in the aisles.
Sheila Mofson, Pro Art-Eltinge Guild in Syracuse, N.Y.

On a beautiful summer afternoon, folks of all ages gathered beneath the trees to enjoy the wonderful music. What a lovely sight when the dance-leader"s gracious and irresistible invitation drew willing learners, from babes-in-arms to grandparents, into the joyous dance!
Sacket"s Harbor series of Concerts on the Waterfront

The music was so beautiful and everyone in your group was so great. That is a really happy afternoon and that is the life we want.. Thank you.
Chongchun, Syr Univ Faculty party, 2014

Betts Branch Library has invited Keyna Hora Klezmer band to perform at our annual summer concert series for three years in a row, and every year Keyna Hora gets everyone up and dancing! This 14-plus piece klezmer band is lively, warm, and engaging—clearly pouring their hearts into every performance. I 100% recommend Keyna Hora to anyone. Betts Branch Library loves Keyna Hora and we are looking forward to next year!!
Aran West, Adult Services Librarian, Betts Branch Library, Syracuse, NY, 2019

The KHKB played in Norwich to a small, but enthusiastic audience. The music evokes Eastern Europe, but is lively and the singing spirited. Songs from the Yiddish and modern theater as well as the old familiar favorites from our childhood were performed. Dancing was encouraged and a several people did a happy line dance around the rooms. We thoroughly enjoyed the band’s performance and professionalism, and plan to invite them back.
Norwich Jewish Community Center, 2019

Events

The Keyna Hora Klezmer Band is based in Syracuse, New York.

Klezmer goes to School

Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville

Betts Branch Library

Chanukah Party at The Oaks

Before Fiddler Matinee show

Chanukah lunch at the JCC

Thanksgiving with Beth Sholom, Pebble Hill Presbytarian, & Islamic Society CNY

Syracuse Klezfest

Jewish Community Center

Jewish Community Center

Talent Show Beth Sholom

Klezmer goes to School

Hazak at Beth Sholom

Jewish Community Center

Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville

Betts Branch Library

Chanukah Party at The Oaks

Temple Adath Yeshurun: Chanukah Party

Thanksgiving with Beth Sholom, Pebble Hill Presbytarian, & Islamic Society CNY

Syracuse Klezfest

Cultural Festival

Private party

Thanksgiving at Beth Sholom

Return to The Oaks!

History of the Keyna Hora BandInterview with Sid Lipton

LISTEN

Keyna Hora band

Syracuse Jewish Festival

Jewish Music & Cultural Festival

Dewitt Library

Westcott / Jewish Music & Cultural Festival

Recording during pandemic

About

Lively, ethnic Klezmer dances and Yiddish folk songs are the specialties of the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band. Everyone is encouraged to sing, dance, and clap to the music.

16th Century

History of Klezmer

1995

Our Humble Beginnings

The Early Days

all those years

Today

Big Dance Party

Enjoy the music!

Our Band Members

The current active members of the Keyna Hora Band are listed here. Not all members play at each event.

Sid Lipton

Mimi Weiner

Chongchun Chen

Terry Culbertson

Jan Gilkey

Paul Goldsman

Linda d’Imperio

Allen Kosoff

Elaine Meltzer

Harvey Pearl

Michelle Rosenberg

Britta Serog

Harry Sommer

Ernie Wass

Sue Wass

Mark Wolfe

Rosalie Young

Contact Us

Ask us about performing for your event!

History of the Keyna Hora Band
Interview with Sid Lipton

Lively, ethnic Klezmer dances and Yiddish folk songs are the specialties of the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band.
Everyone is encouraged to sing, dance, and clap to the music.

Enjoy
the
music!