Schmaltz and Pepper

Schmaltz & Pepper is a Toronto-based ensemble of exceptional musicians united by a love of creativity, virtuosity, and excellence. The group brings together the worlds of klezmer, Yiddish swing, jazz, classical music, and original composition, creating music that is rooted in Jewish musical traditions while looking firmly toward the present.

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Founded by clarinetist and composer Eric Abramovitz, Principal Clarinetist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and violinist, vocalist, and composer Rebekah Wolkstein, Schmaltz & Pepper brings together five musicians whose careers span some of Canada's highest levels of classical, jazz, and contemporary music. The ensemble includes Grammy- and JUNO-winning musicians, bringing extraordinary technical ability and a depth of experience across genres.

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What makes Schmaltz & Pepper distinctive is not simply the calibre of its individual musicians, but what happens when they play together. The ensemble has developed a unique musical chemistry through original composition, improvisation, arrangement, and a shared commitment to pushing the music somewhere new.

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The repertoire is overwhelmingly original. Klezmer and Yiddish music provide a foundation, but they are not boundaries. Jazz harmony, classical counterpoint, swing, Roma influences, tango, and contemporary chamber music all enter the musical vocabulary. The result is music that can be exuberant, virtuosic, sophisticated, playful, unexpected, and deeply moving.

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Schmaltz & Pepper is interested in what happens when musicians who have spent their lives mastering their respective traditions are given the freedom to create something that belongs entirely to them. The ensemble does not approach Jewish music as a museum piece. It is a living tradition, and the group's compositions are part of its continuing evolution.

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In only two years, Schmaltz & Pepper has grown from a new ensemble into an internationally touring group. The ensemble has performed for leading chamber music and Jewish music presenters and festivals across Canada and the United States, building a growing audience through its live performances and original repertoire.

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The group's debut album won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Instrumental Compositions, recognizing the strength and originality of the music at the centre of the ensemble's work.

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Now Schmaltz & Pepper is entering its next chapter. A second album is forthcoming, with its Toronto launch at Koerner Hall, while international touring continues to expand. The group is developing new repertoire and bringing its music to audiences across Canada, the United States, and beyond.

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At the heart of Schmaltz & Pepper is a simple idea: exceptional musicianship creates the freedom to be creative. The ensemble brings together world-class players not simply to perform beautifully, but to invent, take risks, and create something that could not exist without them.