Ensemble DRAj


Ensemble DRAj is a German Klezmer group dedicated to arranging and presenting songs in Yiddish. The term “draj” is the Yiddish translation of the German word “drei”.

Genre and style

Ensemble DRAj focuses their work on the interpretation of Yiddish lyrics. But still, the style of their
songs does not correspond to traditional Klezmer music. The musicians rather apply a
special composition technique, very similar to the art of composing chamber music. Their main
intention is to express their own individual feelings integrating their experience with classical
music, modern music and jazz.

History

Ensemble DRAj was founded in 1996 by Anette Krüger, Ralf Kaupenjohann,
and Ludger Schmidt. But it was not until a year later - after a period of arduous
rehearsals that the group considered the songs to be mature enough to be presented to a public
audience. The first program, “Lieder aus den Ghettos” was first
performed in Essen.
In 2000 the first CD Lieder aus den Ghettos was produced . In 2001 Ensemble
DRAj was invited to perform at the 1. Buenos Aires Klezmer Festival in Argentina. But due to the
terrorist attacks on September 11 the concert was cancelled. A year later, the group was invited by
the Goethe-Institut of Lisbon to play at the Festival Europa.
In 2003 singer Anette Krüger left Ensemble DRAj and Manuela Weichenrieder joined the group. Her
first performance with the two instrumentalists took place in the same year at the 1. Klezmer Festival of Bremen.
In 2005 German radio station WDR 3 broadcast a special feature about Ensemble DRAj. At the
beginning of 2006 the second album Kinderjorn was published. It was characterized
as “CD of the week” by the magazine bluerhythm.
It was also WDR that invited the group to perform at the EBU Folk Music Festival 2006 in Finland as the only German representative. Some time later Ensemble DRAj took part in the music contest Creole – 1. Preis für Weltmusik aus NRW and achieved the recognition as one of the best groups.
In November 2006 the group started a new project in Essen together with Jürgen Wiersch, a well-known German lyric poet.
In 2007 WDR transmitted a live concert given in Dortmund in the famous domicil in Dortmund.
In 2008 Ensemble DRAj was invited to perform at the International Yewish Music Festival Amsterdam as the only
German group.

Discography

  • Lieder aus den Ghettos
  • Carnival der Kulturen 1. Weltmusik - Made im Ruhrgebiet, Sampler
  • Kinderjorn
  • O bittre Zeit. Lagerlieder 1933-1945., Sampler
  • nube de nanas para aspace, Sampler
  • Ale shvestern