The 24th Annual KlezmerQuerque Festival

Start: Friday, March 6, 2026 6:30PM
End: Friday, March 6, 2026 9:00PM

Experience Eastern European Jewish music and dance at the 24th Annual KlezmerQuerque Festival on March 6, 7 and 8, 2026 - Friday, Saturday and Sunday! Albuquerque New Mexico’s internationally recognized festival features three days of Yiddishkayt: Klezmer and traditional Jewish music, Yiddish language and songs, folk dances, concerts, dance parties, and hands-on workshops featuring special guest artists. This year the festival features four acclaimed klezmer artists and scholars from the San Francisco Bay Area: Veretski Pass Duo (Cookie Segelstein-violin and Joshua Horowitz-accordion), Bruce Bierman (Jewish dance master, choreographer, playwright and director) and Gilberto Melendez (master of dance). From western Massachusetts, A Gleyzele Tey Duo (Ariel Shapiro-accordion and Rachel Leader-violin) will share their expertise in Yiddish song & music. KlezmerQuerque will also feature local talent Jordan Wax (Yiddish song & accordion), High Dezert Klezmer & Judaic Band, The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer Band & Rikud Dancers. For more festival details, performer bios and photos, visit the web site: https://www.nahalatshalom.org/klezmerquerque-2026 To purchase tickets: https://www.nahalatshalom.org/klezmerquerque-tickets KlezmerQuerque 2026 schedule of events: March 6th Friday 6:30-9:00 PM (doors open at 6:15pm) DER FREYLEKHER SHABES OPENING FREE EVENT-enjoy any part or all of the evening's celebrations: 6:30pm-Danceable participatory Klezmer Shabbat Service to live music, 7:15pm-Vegetarian potluck dinner, 7:55pm-performances by High Dezert Klezmer & Judaic Band followed by special guest artists the Veretski Pass Duo (Segelstein-violin & Horowitz-accordion), 8:30-9:00pm-recreational Jewish dancing featuring Bruce Bierman and Gilberto Melendez, Rikud dancers & The Nahalat Shalom Community Klezmer Band. Donations welcome and appreciated! March 7th Saturday 6:30-9:30pm (6:21pm-doors) -- CONCERT & DANCE PARTY ($18-advance via web site / $20–at the door if available): 6:21pm-Doors open to the lively music of High Dezert Klezmer & Judaic Band, followed by the music of Jordan Wax and then A Glezele Tey duo. From 7:15-8:15pm The Veretski Pass Duo (Segelstein-Horowitz Duoill perform in concert. After a 15-minute intermission get ready for dancing and more excitement with guest artist Jewish dance leaders Bruce Bierman & Gilberto Melendez to music led by The Segelstein-Horowitz duo – later to be joined by other guest musicians from the festival! March 8th Sunday from 10:00am-5:15pm, choose from three 90-minute ‘hands-on’ workshop sessions in dance, music & Yiddish song with special guest artists. (EACH SESSION: $18- advance via web site online / $20–at the door). Session #1 is from 10:00am-11:30am, CHOOSE ONE: Klezmer Music workshop with Veretski Pass Duo “Klezmer Chicken Soup”: It’s not just the chicken and seasonings, it’s how you cook it. It’s not just the melodies, ornaments, variations or rhythms that make a klezmer tune sound “right”- it’s how you put them all together to make them sound Jewish. This class is also appropriate for meat eaters, vegans and vegetarians.--OR Feast at the Banquet of Rikudei’am (dances of the people): Sephardic, Ethiopian, Mizrahi & Yemenite Dance with Bruce Bierman & Gilberto Melendez. Session #2 is from 1:30-3:00pm (1:15pm-doors open), CHOOSE ONE: Music/Yiddish sing along with A Gleyzele Tey Duo --OR Dance and Movement for the Jewish Theater & Stage (Bierman/ Melendez) Session #3 is from 3:30pm-5:15pm, CHOOSE ONE and PLEASE NOTE earlier start time for Music: (3:15-5:15pm) Music-Veretski Pass Duo --OR Dance-Bruce & Gilberto (3:30-5:15pm). At 4:30pm both classes will join together in the sanctuary for combined dancing & music together which will be followed by 'zeyt gezints/be wells/ farewells' until 5:15pm. All events take place at Nahalat Shalom, 3606 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, ABQ, NM 87107. 505-343-8227 www.nahalatshalom.org https://www.nahalatshalom.org/klezmerquerque-2026 Contact person: Beth Cohen, festival coordinator 505-710-8920 cohenedmunds@netzero.net