About Lysander
Lysander Jaffe
Lysander Jaffe is a Boston-based violinist, violist, and vocalist, equally at home in chamber music, traditional music, and cross-genre collaborations. Known for his command of East European and Mediterranean folk styles, he balances a busy international touring schedule with a commitment to community music in New England. He is a Co-Artistic Director of the Grammy-nominated chamber orchestra Palaver Strings and a founding member of the Yiddish ensemble Levyosn and the vocal quintet Culomba. He also appears with the New England Greek Orchestra, Nightingale Vocal Ensemble, Tiny Glass Tavern, and symphony and chamber orchestras around New England.
Lysander has studied with masters of traditional music in Bulgaria, Kosovo, Greece, Corsica, and Georgia, and is a two-time recipient of the Massachusetts Cultural Council Apprenticeship in Traditional Arts. He holds a Masters in Contemporary Improvisation from New England Conservatory, where he studied styles ranging from free improvisation to klezmer to Hindustani classical music.
Lysander serves as Co-Artistic Director of two community choirs, SingPositive and Boston Harmony, and is demand as a workshop leader.As a teacher, he is passionate about broadening sonic and cultural horizons, teaching not only repertoire but listening skills and expressive vocabulary. He teaches for SongRoots and Village Harmony, with a focus on polyphonic singing styles from the Balkans and Mediterranean, and has led immersive international music study trips to study these styles.