IN 2017, the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) Collective toured to Bellingen to celebrate a ten-year partnership with the Bellingen Youth Orchestra (BYO).

On that tour was a young violinist by the name of Ben Adler.

As a member of the ACO Collective, he’d had many memorable experiences, but none quite compared to that night in Bellingen Memorial Hall.

The ACO Collective was joined on stage by dozens of students from the BYO and, side-by-side, they played ‘Nimrod’ from Elgar’s ‘Enigma Variations’.

“It was one of the most moving concert experiences of my life,” Ben recalls, “it was so beautiful and fulfilling to make music with the next generation of passionate string players.”

Inspired by the warmth of the community, Ben vowed to return to the region.

Five years later, and as leader of the klezmer band CHUTNEY, that dream has become a reality.

On Friday 6 May, CHUTNEY will run a klezmer workshop at Bellingen High School.

That night, they will perform a family-friendly concert at Valla Public Hall featuring members of the BYO Sinfonia playing CHUTNEY’s own music.

So what is klezmer?

Once used to refer to a musician who played a specific type of Jewish celebratory music in Eastern Europe, ‘klezmer’ now describes a style that is fun, emotionally evocative and designed to get people dancing.

As Ben explains, “CHUTNEY started out as a few mates who thought it would be fun to play this kind of music.

“Over time we grew in size and started to fuse klezmer with our many disparate musical and personal influences.”

This blending is how CHUTNEY got its name, the band describing themselves as a fusion of sweet and spicy ingredients – a world music band with a modern twist!

Even for those who know klezmer, CHUTNEY is a new experience.

It’s why the band is so excited to be touring the regions.

Stuck in Sydney for two years because of COVID-19, CHUTNEY can’t wait to hit the road and bring their dancing rhythms and jazzy, funky, samba-y flavours to new audiences.

They are especially looking forward to their collaboration with BYO for the delight that’s found in music-making with talented young players.

It is sure to be a mutually enriching experience!