Zilien Biret (Réunion; clarinet)
is a clarinetist, flutist, singer, teacher, and composer from Reunion Island.
He has worked for many years with Steve Weintraub and Zev Feldman accompanying Yiddish dance at various festivals including Klezkanada, Ashkenaz festival, Boston Jewish Music festival and Yiddish Summer Weimar.
Zilien studied clarinet with Andy Statman (Brooklyn, NY), Jorge Garcia (Colombia), Christian Dawid (Germany), and Michael Winograd (Brooklyn, NY). He also studied Mandinka music in West Africa and Maloya music in Reunion Island.
He has performed in South America, North America, Europe, and West Africa with his klezmer music band Ichka (Montreal), Gypsy Kumbia orchestra (Montreal), Zazakel (Reunion), and Cie de la Calebasse (Paris).
Photo: Valeria Vega