CONTEMPORARY JEWISH MUSIC FOR ADVENTUROUS AUDIENCES
Presenting artists whose work brings Jewish musical traditions and cultural identity into modern composition, improvisation, and experimentation.
WHAT IS NEW JEWISH MUSIC?
New music rooted in a living tradition
New Jewish Music is a contemporary movement that draws on historically Jewish musical elements, cultural identity, and storytelling, while embracing modern composition, improvisation, and experimentation.
Emerging from New York’s downtown creative music scene in the 1990s, this language has continued to evolve across generations, ensembles, and approaches — from jazz and chamber music to electric groove, world fusion, and experimental forms.
A powerful expression of Jewish culture remains largely unseen
WHY IT MATTERS
A LIVING TRADITION
Jewish musical culture has always adapted across geographies, languages, and generations. This series continues that process through contemporary artistic voices.
LIMITED INFRASTRUCTURE
While this music has flourished in parts of New York and a few other cultural centers, there are limited platforms supporting it elsewhere, despite adventurous audiences and culturally engaged communities in many other cities.
CONTEMPORARY CONNECTION
For people seeking meaning beyond traditional institutional or religious frameworks, this music creates new pathways into identity, culture, and community, and new ways to share the richness of Jewish life.
WHAT IS THE NEW JEWISH MUSIC SERIES?
A platform for modern Jewish creative music in the Midwest
The New Jewish Music Series presents live performances by contemporary artists whose work engages with Jewish culture and musical tradition through modern composition, improvisation, and creative expression. Artist residencies incorporate educational programming and community conversations to deepen engagement.
The series is rooted in Columbus, Ohio, where an engaged Jewish community, adventurous arts audiences, and strong cultural institutions create a strong foundation. The long-term vision is to create a network of audiences and presenting partners across the Midwest and new opportunities for this movement to flourish beyond its traditional centers.
PARTNERS
A Tribe for Jazz
Columbus-based 501(c)(3)
advancing the future of jazz
