WHAT IS ALL THIS SHIR MADNESS ABOUT?

Shir Madness Jewish Music Festival is a one day music festival showcasing and celebrating the very best of Jewish music and Jewish performers from Australia and overseas.

Now alternating biennially between Sydney and Melbourne, Shir Madness is the only large scale Jewish Music Festival in Australasia. It is unique among Jewish music festivals across the globe because of its broad and pluralistic approach to artists.

The Festival also includes Song of Songs; the showcase where we ask 15 of our most treasured local singers to pick a song by their favourite Jewish composer that might have moved them, excited them, had personal meaning for them and perform that song for you. Jewish composers have been pivotal in Twentieth Century popular music. Previous Song of Songs have featured: Archie Roach, Kate Ceberano, Deborah Conway, Kate Miller-Heidke, Russell Morris, Claire Bowditch, Dave Faulkner, David Hobson, Emily Lubitz, Hue Blanes, Husky Gawenda, Kutcha Edwards, Kylie Auldist, Linda Bull, Mahalia Barnes, Rebecca Barnard, Ron Peno, Shane Howard, Steve Kilby, Tal Ben Ari, Tim Rogers, Husky Gawenda, Deborah Cheetam and Dave Graney

Shir Madness is a celebration of Jewish Culture, tradition and talent. It encompasses many styles of music including contemporary tributes to Jewish composers and songwriters, Cantorial, Yiddish, Klezmer, Ladino, Sephardic, Mizrachi and Israeli music. The programming also incorporates numerous other genres such as classical, folk, jazz, blues, rock, pop, world, reggae and hip-hop. Shir Madness embraces musicians of all ages, styles and backgrounds and is open to both the Jewish and wider community.

Be moved, be stimulated, be involved.