Schmaltz&Pepper This groundbreaking ensemble features the extraordinary talents of Eric Abramovitz, the principal clarinetist of the Toronto Symphony and the Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist and arranger, Drew Jurecka, virtuosic violinist/vocalist/composer, Rebekah Wolkstein founder/leader of the acclaimed Payadora Ensemble, Juno-nominated bassist, Michael Herring and Juno-award winning pianist, Jeremy Ledbetter. This ensemble is redefining the traditional boundaries of Yiddish music, blending classical mastery with innovative compositions and soulful arrangements. This band has an exhilarating trajectory. A mere 6 months after Abramovitz and Wolkstein came up with the idea to form a band, they had a full show of original music and inventive arrangements. Their debut performance was a live to air broadcast with a studio audience at Zoomer Hall in Toronto for Classical 96.3FM in May, 2024. Since then, they have sold out shows for Ashkenaz, Toronto Summer Music Festival, Jewish Music Week in Toronto and headlined the ‘Put a Yid on it’ festival in Winnipeg. They performed at many of the top chamber music festivals in Canada in 2025 — Toronto Summer Music, Ottawa Chamberfest, Stratford Summer Music, Eloria Music Festival, Tuckamore Festival in Newfoundland — and completed a sold-out 11-show tour of Florida. Their debut album is nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Compositions 2026. In January 2027, the band returns to Florida for another tour and continues performing across Canada and the USA.