The Klezmerorchester Erfurt is an amateur ensemble with professional support which creates a great new concert programme every year, involving a lot of joy in making music together. COMMUNITY and MUSIC are the main aspects of our workshops and concerts.

The Klezmerorchester Erfurt connects people of different generations, origins and musical backgrounds. Amateurs, semi-professionals and professional musicians with an interest in klezmer music and who identify with the philosophy of KlezWeCan are all welcome to take part.

In principle all instrumentalists are welcome. However, diatonic and drone instruments can be problematic because klezmer music is played in all keys with many accidentals. The piano, organ, bass and percussion sections are already full, so sadly we are not able to accept applications for these instruments at the moment.

Your ability on your instrument should not hold you back from joining in. You should be able to play your instrument well enough to read simple melodies at sight. We try to go at a pace that works for everybody and show many helpful things, but ultimately you need to put in the donkey work yourself. If you are not sure we will happily advise you. Just send us an email to info@klezwecan.de.

No. In the workshops we impart the basics of klezmer style. If you wish to dive even deeper into the world of klezmer music, you can take a look at our other KlezWeCan workshops.

We provide you with the sheet music at the introductory workshop. The repertoire is based on historical sound recordings which are transcribed and arranged especially for the orchestra. The orchestral parts are instrument-specific and created to accommodate different levels, i.e. musicians at a higher level may be given a more demanding part. Apart from that, the music is conducted with spontaneous arrangements allowing for exciting results without the need of a demanding and complicated score.

Every year we outline the workshops and rehearsals that you must attend in preparation for the concert. The introductory workshop and the final workshop are mandatory for participation in the concert. You should use the time between the workshops to practice the repertoire. For this, we provide you with working materials such as professionally recorded playalongs. Our goal is to present a great concert which all the participants feel good about.

Anyone who wants to take part in the introductory workshop and can’t or doesn’t want to play at the concert is still very welcome! However, the final workshop is only for those involved in the concert.

The orchestra season is set anew every year. It starts with the introductory workshop. After rehearsing individually, we meet for the final rehearsals and concert in Erfurt. If there are plans for further concerts that year they will be announced by the beginning of the year.

Our rehearsals take place in Erfurt. You will receive more detailed information by email once you’ve registered.

If you attend both the introductory workshop and final workshop before the performance, and in the meantime prepare for the concert individually i.e. practice at home, you can participate. Musicians from Jena, Weimar, Gotha, Arnstadt, Zeulenroda, Leipzig, Berlin, Potsdam, Hanover, Hamburg, Göttingen, Stuttgart, Würzburg, Kaufbeuren, Wuppertal, the Eifel, Austria, Switzerland, the UK and many more play with us.

Our connecting language is the language of klezmer music. Our spoken language is predominantly German, but if we have English-speaking teachers or participants, we do our best to translate.

If you don’t understand German, please tell us in advance. We will try to translate important issues into English. Please understand, however, if we cannot translate every detail. You are still very welcome!

The aim of the workshops with the Klezmerorchester Erfurt is to prepare a concert programme for a specific performance. This is a unique difference from the other workshops run by KlezWeCan. In the introductory workshop, we familiarise ourselves with the new repertoire and the instrumental teachers provide tips on how to play in a klezmer style from the sheet music. In the final workshop, the arrangements for the concert are determined and rehearsed. Find out more on the Workshops page…

It is important to us to keep the financial burden to a minimum. When it comes to pricing, we encourage community spirit. You can find the current prices on the Workshops page. Our musicians and organising team invest a lot of time and energy in making the Klezmerorchester Erfurt happen. Rooms have to be rented and bills paid, so we do have to ask for a financial contribution from the participants.

If you cannot afford the participation fee, send us an email to info@klezwecan.de and we will find a solution. As musicians, we have a very good understanding of financial hardship, especially since COVID times, so we are with you. Please also approach friends and acquaintances in case they can offer you help with the financing.

There is a tiered pricing system to accommodate those of greater or lesser financial means. Those who can afford to pay a higher contribution enable the participation of those who can’t. Become a patron of KlezWeCan! Donations to KlezWeCan e.V are tax deductible and very welcome.

No. Sales from concert tickets, donations and sponsoring help to cover our costs. Soloists and faculty members receive reimbursement for their expenses.

Yes! In order to plan, we need an overview of the number of participants and their instruments. Please use the digital registration form on the Workshops page.

Usually we try to organise weekly rehearsals in Erfurt before the concert. Please note, that these do not replace the obligatory individual preparation of the repertoire.

Information on tickets and advance sales for the orchestra concert can be found on the Concerts page.

Then send us an email to info@klezwecan.de!