Jewish Music of Transylvania, with Z Aqua

Transylvania (in northwestern Romania) was for centuries home to many Jewish communities, with distinctive musical traditions. Zoë Aqua, who spent several years living in Romania as both a researcher and musician, has brought Jewish music based in local traditions to Romanian synagogues—some still part of living Jewish communities, some abandoned. In this presentation she will share her research, reflect on performing Jewish music in today’s Romania, and share musical examples on violin of Transylvania’s distinctive musical character. 

Zoë Aqua, the cofounder of the klezmer bands Tsibele and Farnakht, has performed widely on violin. From 2021 to 2023, she lived in Romania doing ethnographic research on a Fulbright grant to study Transylvanian folk music. Her recording In a Sea of Stars: Live from the Transylvanian Synagogue Tour was released in June 2025. 

Note that Aqua will be teaching and performing at the KlezCalYidFest, taking place in Berkeley September 12-14. Information can be found here.