Bnei Pedutser
Klezmer Quartet

Dr. Jeffrey Wollock (Kapellmeister) - violin
Kurt Bjorling - clarinet, tsimbl
Josh Huppert - violin
Paul Morrissett - bass, violin, tsimbl

The name Bnei Pedutser (sons of Pedutser) commemorates one of the greatest of the old klezmorim, Aron-Moishe Kholodenko (1828 - 1902) of Berdichev, Ukraine - better known as Pedutser

The band consists of four highly accomplished musicians, who present the traditional style of East European klezmer music.

Members of the Bnei Pedutser Klezmer Quartet

Jeffrey Wollock

(Kapellmeister/Director) - violin

an outstanding representative of the traditional klezmer violin style. He has taught klezmer music at KlezKanada and the New England Conservatory, and served for several years as field research coordinator of the Soviet Jewish Cultural Initiative of the Center for Traditional Music and Dance in New York. In addition, Jeffrey is known for his research and publications on the history of klezmer music and early klezmer recordings.

Kurt Bjorling

clarinet, tsimbl (hammered dulcimer)

is the director of the Chicago Klezmer Ensemble and member of the internationally acclaimed Yiddish music quartet Brave Old World. He performs and teaches at festivals of Jewish music in the USA, Canada and Europe. Kurt is also a leading authority on early klezmer recordings. He performs on his own build tsimbls.



Josh Huppert

violin, viola

one of the first and finest violinists in the field today. Josh is th lead violinist with the Chicago Klezmer Ensemble.

Paul Morrissett

bass, violin, tsimbl

The versatile musician is a founding member of the world-famous klezmer group The Klezmatics.


Annette Bjorling

klezmer dance instructor

Annette teaches East European traditional Yiddish dances, corresponding to the music of Bnei Pedutser.


For further information about performances, workshops and events
please contact us:

e-mail: Pedutser@muziker.org

phone: (847) 475-3905 (Bjorlings)
or (979) 693-6164 (Jennifer Goodman Wollock)

(Return to) Muziker.org HOMEPAGE

Recent Performances & Other Events

Klezmer Residence at Texas A & M University, College Station, April 6 - 9, 2003

Review of the Bnei Pedutser Klezmer Residence

by Penelope Kosztolnyik - (excerpt)
"Bnei Pedutser, an instrumental quartet of scholar-musicians dedicated to finding, playing, and thus preserving the Jewish music of a century ago in Eastern Europe (...) succeeds on many levels.

Their playing is not only skillful, it has the spice of virtuosity whenever the need arises.
Kapellmeister-violinist Jeffrey Wollock, violinist Josh Huppert, clarinetist and tsimblist Kurt Bjorling, and bassist Paul Morrissett take turns as leaders, sometimes within the same set of pieces.
(...) they are devoted to and absorbed in this music, and the effect is electric. Each piece of music is given its own unique dramatic or emotional effect. (...) Kurt Bjorling's clarinet seems to apply ornaments on top of ornaments in a supremely florid style, all the while keeping true to the character of the piece whether it is a sad doina or a merry freylekhs.
The fully chromatic tsimble Bjorling built himself has a good throaty tone that can ring through the ensemble without sounding jangly.

A dance workshop by Annette Bjorling and accompanied by Bnei Pedutser attracted many people, and, as a Gentile, I felt especially happy to learn and be included in the community, good humor, and worship of these wonderful group dances. (...)

Bnei Pedutser is a splendid group and has much to offer many different venues."
Penelope Kosztolnyik, College Station, Texas

Since this is a newly founded group, this site is still pretty new as well (October 2003).
It will be extended.
Please feel free to visit us again. Thanks.

Drawings by Jennifer Goodman Wollock - jennifer@nativecouncil.com

Layout by Annette Bjorling

For further information about performances, workshops and events
please contact us:

e-mail: Pedutser@muziker.org

phone: (847) 475-3905 (Bjorlings)
or (979) 693-6164 (Jennifer Goodman Wollock)

(Return to) Muziker.org HOMEPAGE