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In This Issue
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Josh Jacobson's Musings
Upcoming Concerts
Fall Roundup
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Hanukkah XXVII Happened!
 On December 24, Zamir collaborated with the world-renowned group Safam for a rollicking evening of pop, rock, and Israeli hit tunes. The program kicked off with Zamir's solo set, including Rosenblum's "Shir LaShalom," Shemer's "Al Kol Eileh," and Frimer's "Al Ha-nissim." Hazzan Elias Rosemberg of Temple Emanuel soared on Janowski's "Sim Shalom," and Rav-Hazzan Aliza Berger added her dulcet tones to Finkelstein's "LeDor VaDor." Maestro Jacobson himself soloed on his own setting of "Havdalah" from the early-early days of Zamir. Jeremiah Klarman served as guest pianist, along with Taki Masuko on percussion, Bruce Creditor on clarinet, and Rich Lustig on bass.
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Dan Funk, Joel Sussman, Robbie Solomon,
and Alan Nelson of Safam
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Hazzan Rosemberg and Rav Hazzan Berger performed solos to open the second half, followed by a solo Safam set, featuring "World of Our Fathers" and "Leaving Mother Russia." Safam members include Cantor Robbie Solomon, Alan Nelson, Dan Funk, and Joel Sussman; with Mark Snyder, bass; and Rick Klane, drums.
To top off the evening, the groups joined up for upbeat renditions of Safam's hits "Pit'chu Li," "Yah Ribon Alam," among others. The audience cheered for the always-entertaining version of "Adon Olam" set to the tune of "Blue Moon." Thanks as always to the Music Committee of Temple Emanuel and the Temple Brotherhood for hosting us. Until next Hanukkah!
Hanukkah Candlelight Service
in the Back Bay
On December 10, Zamir returned for another of our favorite traditions, a performance of the beautiful cantata "A Light Through the Ages," an annual Hanukkah celebration held at Emmanuel Church in Boston. The afternoon event was created and hosted by Rabbi Howard Berman, of the Central Reform Temple, and included narration recounting events in Jewish history, particularly the story of the Maccabees. Selections included Handel's "Hallelujah, Amen" and Max Stern's new arrangement of "Mi Yemalel," with Cantor Peter Halpern of Temple Shalom as soloist. At the end, audience members participated in a candle-lighting ceremony, which illuminated the sanctuary.
Temple Isaiah in Lexington with Cantor Lisa Doob
On December 3, Zamir traveled to nearby Lexington for a traditional "synagig" at Temple Isaiah, hosted by and featuring solos by Cantor Lisa Doob. Accompanied by Ed Swanborn, piano; Taki Masuko, percussion; and Ryan Yure, clarinet, the group performed a wide-ranging program of tunes, including the first movement of Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, works by Salamone Rossi, Max Stern, and Naomi Shemer. Contemporary selections included former board chair Robert Snyder's "Psalm 1," with the composer at the piano; as well as excerpts from Jeremiah Klarman's "Hallel Shir V'Or." Cantor Doob lent her voice to solos including Weill's "Kiddush"; for "Ocho Kandelikas," she was joined by the Temple Isaiah choir. Thanks for a terrific afternoon or music-making and holiday cheer!
"Majesty" at Temple Beth Elohim
On November 6, Zamir presented a new edition of our exciting Divine Majesty series to a sold-out house at Temple Beth
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The [Divine Majesty]
programs look at questions such as "What makes music great? What makes music sacred? What makes music popular?"
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Elohim in Wellesley, with a cyber-audience of hundreds who watched it on a live stream. "Masterworks of Majesty," with Temple Shalom's Cantor Peter Halpern as soloist, and Ed Swanborn as organist, celebrated the greatest choral music of nineteenth century European synagogues. Maestro
Jacobson narrated the program, adding insight and historical background to the evening.
The "Majesty" series reacquaints audiences with the awesome repertoire of classical synagogue music--great compositions, still sung a century-and-a-half later, which have the power t
o
inspire
kedushah,
holiness, whether in concert or in a liturgical service. The programs investigate questions such as "What makes music great? What makes music sacred? What makes music popular?"
The Divine Majesty series is made possible by an anonymous underwriter in memory of Mary Wolfman Epstein and Cantor Barney Mould.
Click here to watch the concert on YouTube. Additional photos posted on Zamir's Photo Gallery.
Ovation at Ohabei Shalom
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Naomi Gurt Lind
Photo by Mickey Goldin
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On October 29,
Zamir joined the congregation of Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline to help celebrate their 175th anniversary festivities. Instrumentalists Jeremiah Klarman, Robert Snyder, piano; Amir Milstein, flute; Taki Masuko, percussion; Ryan Yure, clarinet; and Rich Lustig, bass contributed their talents to the wide-ranging program, which included works from the liturgical, modern, Israeli, and jazz repertoire, some of which were reprised a few weeks later at the Temple Isaiah concert. Ohabei Shalom's executive director, Naomi Gurt Lind, a Zamir soprano, performed several solos, including the beautiful "Apiryon" movement of Yehezkel Braun's Shir Ha-Shirim.
Naomi was joined by Rabbi Audrey Marcus Berkman for Gavrielov's "Ani Ve-Ata Neshaneh Et Ha-Olam." Mazal tov to the Ohabei congregation on their remarkable accomplishments over nearly two centuries!
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Happy 2018! Wherever you are in the world, we hope that you are safe, warm, and ready to catch up on the latest Zamir Chorale news. This issue includes a roundup of our very busy fall season and a look ahead to upcoming events. In addition, Josh Jacobson muses on the special "gifts" exchanged at our annual concert for the elderly at Hebrew SeniorLife in Roslindale. So grab a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy!
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JOSH JACOBSON'S MUSINGS
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In each issue of E-Notes, Artistic Director Joshua Jacobson offers his unique insights and experiences as a world-renowned scholar, composer, conductor, and influential teacher of Jewish music.
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Photo by Richard McNight
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The Zamir Chorale of Boston performs many different kinds of concerts over the course of a season. While our mission is to inspire, educate, and entertain, each concert has a different balance among those three elements. For example, this past fall we had two "synagigs"--that's what we call a run-out concert when we're hired by a synagogue. For these concerts, we generally try to present a wide variety of music: old and new; sacred and secular; familiar and challenging; "classical," folk, and popular styles; Ashkenazi and Mizrahi; American, European, and Israeli.
In November, we presented our annual "Majesty" concert, a self-produced event that focuses on sacred music written for the great European synagogues from the second half of the 19th century. It's a delight for us to perform this beautiful music, which is unknown to most audiences, singers, and conductors. In early December, our chamber chorus participated in another lovely annual tradition: the
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"As we begin to sing (to the elderly residents at Hebrew SeniorLife), something miraculous happens. Smiles replace scowls. Some who have been silent start to sing along. Those who were immobilized are tapping their feet..."
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Hanukkah ceremony, "A Light Through the Ages," presented by Boston's Central Reform Temple in their downtown home at Emmanuel Church. The music is chosen to complement Rabbi Berman's dramatic script. And then a few weeks later on December 24, we collaborated with the Jewish rock band Safam to present the 27th annual "Hanukkah Happens" concert at Temple Emanuel in Newton.
But one of our favorite annual concerts is our "mitzvah-gig," our performance for the elderly residents at Hebrew SeniorLife in Roslindale. The residents, who are unable to get out to off-site venues, are walked or wheeled into the performance area. As we begin to sing, something miraculous happens. Smiles replace scowls. Some who have been silent start to sing along. Those who were immobilized are tapping their feet. One woman is conducting. One gentleman actually rises out of his wheelchair and dances with his aide!
And one of our favorite moments comes at the end of this and every concert, when chorus members leave the stage to surround the audience as we perform John Rutter's "The Lord Bless You and Keep You." Creating both acoustical and physical contact, it's an emotional moment for both the singers and the listeners.
Such is the power of music. To quote the great Sufi musician and healer Inayat Khan, "A person does not hear sound only through the ears; he hears sound through every pore of his body, it permeates his entire being.... In that way the physical body recuperates and becomes charged with new magnetism." What a privilege for us to be participants in that extraordinary process.
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UPCOMING CONCERTS
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Save the Dates! Wednesday, May 23, and Thursday, May 24, 2018, 7:30 pm: "Zamir Goes Baroque," at Slosberg Recital Hall, Brandeis University, South St, Waltham
Zamir and friends will explore rarely heard Jewish polyphony from the 17th and early 18th centuries: synagogue motets (and a few dances and love songs) by Salamone Rossi Hebreo of Mantua;
Cantata Ebraica
by Carlo Grossi of Venice; Louis Saladin's
Canticum Hebraicum,
written for the Provençal Jewish community; excerpts from Giuseppe Lidarti's oratorio
Ester,
composed in Hebrew for the Jewish community in Amsterdam; and more. This music is not only fascinating historically, it is beautiful and delightful! Zamir will be joined by choreographer Ken Pierce and an awesome instrumental ensemble, led by renowned violinist Daniel Stepner.
Ticket information will be available soon.
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| GEARING UP FOR OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR |
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Yes, you read right! Beginning in Fall 2018, Zamir will celebrate 50 years of "music with a mission," bringing the joy of Jewish music to audiences that transcend ag
e, religion,
and ethnic background.
A special event will kick off the 50th year on Thursday, October 11, at Newton's City Hall; with the grand finale, a gala concert, scheduled for the spring of 2019. Highlights include:
- A gala concert in 2019 honoring Founder and Artistic Director Josh Jacobson. The concert will look back and look ahead, with a vibrant program showcasing the best of Jewish choral music from our five decades of concertizing, as well as several works commissioned for the celebration.
- A reunion for our more than 400 alumni, many of whom have gone on to become significant leaders in their communities.
- An exciting first: a Jewish virtual choir, featuring Lewandowski's setting of Psalm 150, performed by hundreds of singers from around the world and brought together by technology. Participants welcome! Watch your email for more information in the spring. Eric Whitacre's original virtual choir became a tremendous YouTube sensation, and we aim to do the same for Jewish music.
- An enhanced website with expanded resources available to any conductor, singer, scholar, or music lover looking for choral music connected to Jewish traditions.
Stay tuned for more details!
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HOT OFF THE PRESS
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Jacobson Featured on Emerson College's "Chagigah"
Before leaving to present at the Louis Lewandowski Festival in Berlin last December, Josh Jacobson sat down for an interview with Hal Slifer, producer and host of "Chagigah," a Sunday-morning
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Chagigah |
program of Jewish music aired from 8 to 11 am on WERS-FM 88.9 in Boston and worldwide on
WERS.org. Josh discussed the origins of the Zamir Chorale and offered a sneak preview of the 50th-anniversary festivities in store for the 2018-19 season, including a gala spring concert.
Josh has been invited to contribute to "Chagigah" in upcoming months, so keep an ear out on Sunday mornings!
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PHOTOS FROM MASTERWORKS OF MAJESTY
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See "Majesty at Temple Beth Elohim" article in sidebar.
Photos by Mickey Goldin
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Jenn Boyle, Anne Levy, Hal Katzman, Kyler Taustin, soloists
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Josh Jacobson conducts Masterworks
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| Leila Joy Rosenthal and Ed Swanborn, organist, at talk-back following the performance |
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| KEEP IN TOUCH! |
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As always, let us know what you're up to--we love hearing from our friends from around the world. Stay well, stay warm, and have a peaceful winter season. See you in the spring!
Barbara Gaffin Deborah Sosin
Managing Director Editor, E-Notes
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