March 4: “Refugees Are Us,” the debut of a program created and performed by the Refugee Orchestra Project, founded and conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya, whose own family left Russia to escape anti-Semitism when she was 9. The result is a unique concert experience celebrating and supporting the refugee community by addressing problematic narratives about refugees with truth, humor and music. The Orchestra members are artists-in-residence at the innovative new music venue National Sawdust this season. 4 p.m., National Sawdust (80 N. Sixth St., Brooklyn), https://nationalsawdust.org.
March 6-11: The great jazz pianist Fred Hersch, who grew up Jewish in the Midwest, brings his trio, featuring Billy Hart and Drew Gress, to the city’s jazz mecca. Village Vanguard (178 Seventh Ave. South), villagevanguard.com.
March 11: “Discovering the Treasures of Yiddish Musical Theater: From the Vaudeville Houses to the Silver Screen.” In the second of a two-concert series, Zalmen Mlotek and the National Yiddish Theater present treasures from the thriving Yiddish vaudeville scene, Catskills floor shows, Broadway-influenced musicals, Hollywood-inspired films and Yiddish radio of the 1930s and 1940s. The playlist features hits by Olshenetsky, Secunda, Trilling, Rexite and Kressyn and others. 2 p.m., Museum of Jewish Heritage (36 Battery Place), mjhnyc.org.
March 14-18: World premiere of Meredith Monk’s latest song cycle/theatrical experience, “Cellular Songs.” The piece promises an interweaving of “voice with movement, light, instrumental music, film and a site-specific video installation,” continuing the composer’s exploration of the relationship between humanity, nature and the ineffable. March 14-17 at 7:30 p.m., March 18 at 3 p.m., BAM Harvey Theater (651 Fulton St., Brooklyn), bam.org.
March 14-18: “Zaubernacht” (Magic Night). A charming music and dance event for children in particular; Kurt Weill’s long-lost orchestrations will be heard in New York City for the first time since the American premiere in 1925, performed by the Knickerbocker Chamber Orchestra. Museum of Jewish Heritage (36 Battery Place), mjhnyc.org.
April 12: John Zorn’s “Masada Book 3, the Book B’riah.” The saxophonist and composer will be joined by Secret Chiefs 3, Banquet of the Spirits and Zion80 for a premiere of some of his latest compositions as part of the World Music Institute’s Contemporary Jewish Music series. 8 p.m., Symphony Space (95th Street and Broadway), worldmusicinstitute.org.
May 10: Album release party for “Out of the Narrows,” the first release from Jewish supergroup Midwood. A heavy aggregation for sure, Midwood features Jake Shulman-Ment (violin), Yoshie Fruchter (guitar), Richie Barshay (drums) and special guest Eleonore Weill (vocals, flutes, hurdy-gurdy). 7 p.m., Museum at Eldridge Street (12 Eldridge St.), eldridgestreet.org.
May 23: Pianist-composer Leslie Pintchik celebrates her new album, “You Eat My Food, You Drink My Wine, You Steal My Girl!” with a gig at Jazz at Kitano. Kitano Hotel (Park Avenue and East 38th Street), kitano.com.
