SHIR MADNESS returns to Sydney celebrating the Jewish contribution to music
with 11 hours of joyous, funny, soulful & rocking performances of every imaginable kind.
Woollahra

And this year the star performers in the popular ‘Song of Songs’ segment include the cream
of Australia’s musical community singing one of their favourite songs by a Jewish composer:
Glenn Shorrock, Dami Im, Richard Clapton, Josh Pyke, Emma Pask, Nadav Kahn & Hannah Joy (of Middle Kids)
will play the final, climactic set of the night, with the Band of Bands led by Jonathan Zwartz.

25 acts will perform at the festival on multiple, concurrent stages: a single ticket covers all acts, all day.
There’s a special kids’ concert too, plus artisan stalls and demonstrations, kosher food and drink… and schmoozing!

Among the fresh and vibrant talent are the Alma Zygier Quartet.
With ‘a voice from another era’ and a group of hot young players, she brings her American songbook repertoire to the 21st century.

Bonnie Love is a sequin-clad siren of songs laced with poetic metaphor.
Dafka (David & Rebecca Krycer) are a fun vocal duo who play klezmer, blues, chanson and more,
while classically trained singer-songwriter Phia makes music blush with luscious layers of harmonies and vocal percussion.
Plus sassy Sydney jazz stars Leonie Cohen & Nicky Crayson, FOXMAN (featuring Philip Foxman ex Supernaut!)
and On the Stoop – an insanely raucous, beguiling inner west band that blend mariachi, Balkan, spaghetti-western and punk-rock!

Headlining the festival (and featuring in the kids’ show) is thrilling New York ‘Jewgrass’ band Nefesh Mountain
(“where Bluegrass and Jewish traditions meet… and fall in love!”).
Super-popular Ilan Kidron and Glass crossover from jazz to pop and world music,
Elena Kats-Chernin, will play her most popular music and tell the stories around it from behind the keyboard.
Melbourne musical comedian Jude Perl presents her catchy and hilarious satire,
while Byron-based Temple of Song and multi-instrumentalist Shai Shriki lead a singing circle that will have everyone singing!

Pianist Simon Tedeschi and violist Roger Benedict play the Romantic ‘hits’ of Schubert,
Schumann, Rachmaninov and Jewish-Viennese WWII refugee Hans Gal.
Also featured are two NY-based Aussie musicians, Sephardic music doyen George Mordecai with “Baghdad to Bondi”
and US-based cabaret star and Helpmann nominee Alexis Fishman with her tribute to Amy Winehouse “Amy: Reimagined”.

Also appearing in the festival are Tiptoe Giants (who feature in the kids concert too), Graeme Pillemer, Harmony of the Angels,
Chelsea Berman, Raduga Trio, zany Hello Tut Tut, Jonno Zilber and Keppie Coutts’ ‘swamp-folk operetta’ “The Mysteries of Mad River”.

Shir Madness – Sydney Jewish Music Festival | Sunday 7 October from 11am to 10pm
Tickets: Adult General Admission $75 pre-booked | $85 on the day | $45 conc. | Kids under 12 free
Kids concert only $20 adults | VIP tickets $175 (inc. reserved seating & VIP Room, free food & drink)
Emanuel Synagogue, 7 Ocean Street Woollahra | Bookings and more information: www.shirmadness.com