Moshe (Musa) berlin is a clarinet player and one of the leading Klezmer musicians in Israel.
He was born in 1938 in Tel Aviv to a family of Hasidut Modzits. Musa’s musical capabilities were discovered at the age of 6 when he began playing the violin. In high school, he started playing the clarinet; since then, it has been his main instrument.
Musa’s interest in Klezmer music started at a young age, with annual visits to mount Meron. Despite that, he started playing Klezmer music only at the university, with his friend Avraham Kuchinsky, an accordion player. Together they joined the klezmorim in Meron, under the guidance of Avraham Segal. Musa became a main character in the Klezmer world. He created and directed Klezmer ensembles, collaborated with Klezmer musicians like Segal, studied with the clarinet player Giora Feidman and played in varied Jewish events such as weddings but also in religious events in the Jewish denominations and communities. Still, playing in mount Meron is one of the most important projects in his life.
One of his latest projects is the album Niggun Moledet, produced by his youngest daughter, Odeleya Berlin.
A detailed description of his life and work exists in Yaakov Mazor’s book: The Klezmer Tradition in the Land of Israel
Interviews, conversations, lectures, and some of Musa’s music:
Interview with Musa Berlin from 1986 about the changes in the Klezmer tradition in Israel.
Interviewers: Dr. Yaakov Mazor and Prof. Edwin Seroussi
https://www.nli.org.il/he/items/NNL_MUSIC_AL003567844/NLI
Ethnographic recordings from Musa’s personal collection:
https://www.nli.org.il/he/items/NNL_MUSIC_AL003450895/NLI
A musical lecture by Musa and Odelelya Berlin in “Who am I? An Israeli song” (מי אני? שיר ישראלי) in Bar Ilan University discussing their album “Niggun Moledet”:
* The picture was taken from Musa's Wikipedia page
