ilya shneyveys

Multi-instrumentalist

Originally from Riga, Latvia, now based in Brooklyn, NY, Ilya Shneyveys is a multi-instrumentalist, educator, composer, arranger, and producer of Yiddish music. With expertise spanning from traditional klezmer accordion to experimental and fusion projects, Ilya performs and teaches at festivals around the world in venues ranging from local bars to Carnegie Hall. 

He is a founding member of Berlin’s Neukölln Klezmer Sessions and Shtetl Berlin, and a long-time faculty member of Yiddish Summer Weimar where in recent years he has co-coordinated the instrumental workshop. His notable projects and collaborations include Forshpil, Alpen Klezmer, KaraYam, Caravan Orchestra, Dobranotch, Shekedina, Michael Winograd, and The Klezmatics. 

Ilya has received multiple awards for his work, inclduing the 2014 RUTH World Music Award at TFF Rudolstadt, the 2017 Shimon-Peres-Prize, and the Eiserne Eversteiner Preis in 2017.

Over the years he has performed and taught at major Jewish festivals around the world, including Yiddish Summer Weimar, Yiddish Fest Moscow, Klezfest St.Petersburg, Klezfest London, KlezKanada, Montreal Jewish Festival, Toronto Ashkenaz Festival, Krakow Jewish Festival, and Yiddish New York.

https://ilya.shneyveys.com
https://forshpil.bandcamp.com