As part of the 10th Jewish Culture Days in Rostock in 2026
In 1987, Andrej Hermlin founded the “Swing Dance Band,” which a decade later became the “Swing Dance Orchestra.” The orchestra was and remains dedicated to the American music of the 1930s—swing. Over the past decades, it has performed in New York, Hong Kong, Tel Aviv, Milan, Vienna, London, and many other cities around the world. The orchestra is a regular guest at major concert halls in Germany, such as the Philharmonie in Berlin and the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg.
In the “Jews In Jazz” program, the orchestra pays tribute to the great Jewish musicians and composers who played a decisive role in shaping the development of swing in the 1930s. The program features compositions by Gershwin, Berlin, and Kern, and of course, the famous “Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen” in Benny Goodman’s version is a must—sung by Rachel Hermlin.
In early 2026, singer and drummer David Hermlin, the son of the orchestra’s founder, took over as the band’s leader. The orchestra still performs American music from the 1930s. They aim for the utmost authenticity, which includes period-accurate costumes, hairstyles, music stands, and, not least, the arrangements. These are now written by David Hermlin, however, which has contributed to even greater vitality and creativity within the orchestra. In our times, which can sometimes seem bleak and foreboding, the music of the “Swing Dance Orchestra” is balm for the soul and the best remedy for any gloom!
