Rebekah Wolkstein is the founder and leader of the Payadora Tango Ensemble, whose album “Silent Tears: The Last Yiddish Tango” reached #1 on World Music Charts in Europe. Her work has been featured by the BBC, CTV, CBC, Bangkok Post, NPR, and RTÉ. Payadora won the German Weltmusikpreis Ruth Award in 2024 and has toured extensively across Hungary, Spain, Denmark, Brazil, Argentina, and North America, supported by grants from the Canada Council, Ontario Arts Council, and Toronto Arts Council.

As a performer, Rebekah has appeared with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the National Ballet of Canada, and the Canadian Opera Company. She is the first violinist of the Venuti String Quartet and an active session musician, recording with artists including Donovan Woods, Laila Biali, Royal Wood, and Justin Gray. She holds a Doctorate in Violin Performance from the University of Toronto and degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music.