By 4Squares Residential Group with Judi 411
This month, we spoke with Irish fiddler and violin teacher Ellery Klein, who is also deeply involved with the grassroots organization WalkMedford. This dedicated group is devoted to making Medford more pedestrian-friendly, creating a vibrant community where people can enjoy walking and biking safely. Ellery's passion for music and commitment to enhancing the local environment genuinely embody the spirit of Medford.
What brought you to the Medford community?
I’ve lived in the Boston area since 2000, though it’s been a bit on and off. I was here for six months in 2000, then went away to school. After that, I moved to New York for about a year. That’s when I met my husband, who had just moved to Boston, so I moved back in 2003.
We bought a house in East Boston and lived there for a while, but then we moved again because he’s a journalist, and his job took us elsewhere. When we returned to Boston, our house in East Boston wasn’t quite right for us anymore—especially since we had more than one child by then. So, we had to find a new place quickly.
We knew fellow musicians Matt and Shannon Heaton, who lived in Medford, as did many of their friends. Medford has a bit of an Irish music scene going on—there are at least 10 Irish musicians living here, which is kind of cool.
When we were looking for a place, Matt suggested Medford, and he connected me with Laura Brereton. She mentioned that Medford still had a music program in its schools, which a lot of districts around here don’t have anymore. That was a big selling point for us because, as a musician myself, I really value that kind of thing. So we moved to Medford, in part, because of the music program in the schools.
You live in Fulton Heights. Tell us what you love about your neighborhood.
I live in what I like to call the "Lower Heights," right off Fellsway, close to the Salem Street Business District. It’s super convenient—we can walk to Target and the local hardware store, which is great.
Our house is perfect for us right now. We have two kids who attend public school, and I also teach violin lessons from home. There’s a beautiful sunroom where my students come for lessons, and it’s got its own entrance, so it’s really practical. The house has plenty of space, and the area is walkable, which is important to us.
My daughter sings with the Boston Children’s Chorus, and she can easily hop on a bus to get to her choir in the city. My son works at a local grocery store, and he also gets around easily with his bicycle. The location just makes our lives run smoothly.
Medford has grown a lot since we moved here. The Medford Farmers Market is a great example—it started small but now feels like an actual community event with more and more vegetables, which is a must for a farmer’s market! I also loved the Medford Family Network when my kids were young. After a stressful move, it was a lifeline for me, and I met many friends through their playgroups—some of them are still my closest friends.
What I love about Medford is its diversity. It’s a mix of people—tradespeople, professionals, and families from all sorts of backgrounds. My kids aren’t growing up in a bubble; they’re going to school with a wide variety of kids, and that’s important to me. It's a great, down-to-earth community where everyone feels at home.
You're deeply involved with WalkMedford—tell us about the organization and its initiatives.
Walk Medford is an informal group of advocates working to make Medford safer and more walkable. They're focused on encouraging the city to provide safe transportation options, particularly ensuring that kids can safely walk or bike to school and other local destinations. For example, it’s estimated that only about 15% of kids now walk to school; this could be improved through policy changes prioritizing safety, like in other countries.
One of the group's early wins was updating the snow shoveling ordinance, pushing for clearer guidelines and penalties to ensure sidewalks were safely maintained during the winter. They also advocated for pedestrian crossing signs and led community events like walks and information-gathering sessions. They've also coordinated a citywide walk-bike task force which works to organize Walk to School Wednesdays. I lead the bike-to-school group from Carr Park in North Medford for middle schoolers. We’ve even had Mayor Lungo-Koehn join us a few times, so there is support behind this program in particular and WalkMedford’s initiatives in general.
A significant barrier to further development is a lack of resources—both staff and funds—preventing the city from taking advantage of federal grants to improve infrastructure like bike lanes and pedestrian routes. WalkMedford continues to push for change, emphasizing that a safer environment benefits everyone, not just children. Senior citizens, people with disabilities, and others who rely on walking or biking need better, safer streets, and the group believes the city should prioritize them.
Ultimately, WalkMedford is about building a community where everyone, including children, seniors, and those who can't drive, can navigate safely and independently.
You’re an Irish fiddler and a music teacher—tell us about that aspect of your life.
I've been an Irish fiddler and a violin teacher for a while now, and my journey has been anything but straightforward. I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and went to an arts high school there—The Cincinnati School of Creative and Performing Arts. After that, I ended up getting a degree in geology. I've always been into science, particularly environmental issues, and I even worked in geology for about a year. But I had this band, and my love for music ultimately won out. So, I pivoted and pursued a master's degree in Irish music over in Ireland, which was perfect timing because it was just before the Euro conversion.
After a year in Ireland, I moved to New York for a bit before heading back to Boston, where I joined an Irish pub song band that toured extensively—like 230 days a year! That was intense, and while I loved it, I'm not eager to hit the road like that again. During that time, I got married and had my first child. When I was six months pregnant, I left the band and eventually moved to Jerusalem for three years when my husband took a bureau position there. I had two young kids, so my focus was on them, though I did a bit of teaching here and there.
After we moved back to Medford, I really dove into teaching. I started giving lessons and even taught at the Irish Music School of Boston, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, for about four years before I transitioned to private lessons full-time. Now, I have about 25 private students, and I also play in a small Irish music trio, which I've been a part of for over 10 years. We've performed locally in places like the First Baptist Church of Medford, up on Oakland Street, which often hosts concerts in the winter.
During the pandemic, I reconnected with two other women who had played in the same band at different times. We all had this shared history of playing the same parts, which created this unique bond. We started collaborating remotely for Irish festivals, and eventually, we were invited to perform in person at the Pittsburgh Irish Fest in 2022. We even made a CD together in Chicago and have been playing festivals every summer since. Now, we're working on bringing our music out east, which is exciting but also challenging—especially with kids, other bands, and a double bass to lug around.
The music world can be tough, but it's worth it, and I’m eager to keep pushing forward, finding new ways to share our music and keep the tradition of Irish music alive.
Photos, clockwise from upper left: the Grêp paté, music at the First Baptist Church of Medford, one of Klein's fiddles and bikes parked at the Roberts School on a Walk-to-School Wednesday!!
What do you consider some of Medford’s hidden gems?
Cycling in Medford might have a reputation for being dangerous, but many off-road paths make it a great place to bike. You can go from Medford to Watertown, even Belmont, almost entirely off-road. Once the Clippership Connector is finished, you'll be able to bike from Medford Square to Somerville and downtown on these paths. The challenge is that they're not very well marked, so you’ve got to figure out where they are—they're kind of hidden.
One of my go-to routes is the paths along Route 16 to Alewife, which you can then use to connect to Belmont, or Watertown, or the Minuteman Path out to Lexington and Concord.
There are also some lovely routes through quiet back neighborhoods to avoid the busy main roads. When I ride, I mostly cross the big roads instead of riding on them for too long, and it’s pretty peaceful. Even though tragic events like the cyclist killed on Memorial Drive make people nervous, most of the time, I’m biking alongside ducks and enjoying the quiet, away from traffic. It’s a calming experience.
Let me shout out to my Haitian neighbors who run Grêp Kafé on Salem Street, across from the mini Target. They have these fantastic little snacks called "patés"—hand pies filled with meat— for only $2. It's perfect when you're hungry and want something with protein, not just sugar. I used to stop in with my daughter on the way to choir practice to grab chicken or beef. They’ll also do special orders, like a smaller pie for PTO events—a savory alternative to donuts! They even have salted fish, herring, mackerel, and a vegetable option. Their muffins are top-notch, and as someone who likes to bake, that's saying something! But for the best breakfast sandwich, head to Tasty Cafe in Hillside—they have one with bechamel sauce, and that’s just incredible.
Our last question is always fun: What would you tell your best friend if they wanted to move to Medford?
If I were talking to my best friend about living in Medford, real estate prices have increased since moving here, but it's still a great community. For me, walkability and access to transit are huge. Medford still has sidewalks—sure, they need some work, but go to places like Woburn, and it’s a different story. Here, I can walk on the streets, there are shops nearby, and my kids can get to their friends' houses. That’s part of why I’m so passionate about it.
With just a bit of TLC, Medford could quickly become a place where almost everyone walks, rolls and bikes—it's only four miles across, which is a breeze on a bike. Improving bus routes, especially cross-town ones, would make it even more accessible. The potential for Medford to be a cohesive, easily navigable community is right there; it is just waiting to be realized.
The people here really care for each other. When something happens, you see the community step up—raising money and bringing food. It’s a friendly, diverse place with a hidden artist community. We’ve got music programs, live theater, and so much to enjoy. It’s a vibrant community, and I love being part of it.
Eager to learn more about WalkMedford and their initiatives? Head over to their Facebook page to get the scoop! To stay in the loop about Ellery’s music studio and upcoming performances, visit www.elleryklein.net.
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