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Dear Friends,
Springtime and Passover greetings to you all, hoping this finds you and yours safe and thriving during these unsettling times. Music as sanctuary, music as a tool of creative communication and connection, has always been at the heart of Zamir’s mission. Rehearsals and concerts offer a temporary escape from the horrible world events, plus a chance to create a community of harmony. Through music, we can channel our empathy for those who have suffered and express our aspirations for a better world. Please join us on June 10, when we’ll be performing “in the round” for our season finale at Temple Reyim in Newton. Read Artistic Director Josh Jacobson’s Musing on the impetus for this unusual “surround-sound” performance and catch up on other Z news.
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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.
Surround Sound
In the summer of 2019, I had the most amazing auditory experience. The Clark Museum in Williamstown was hosting a sonic exhibit by Janet Cardiff called “The Forty Part Motet.”
Here’s the backstory: In 1570, British composer Thomas Tallis had composed a setting of the Latin hymn “Spem in Alium,” a motet for 40 voices—eight choirs of five voices apiece, each voice singing its own part. The voices were probably arrayed in a circle or a U-shape around the listeners. The exhibit at the Clark Museum featured 40 loudspeakers in one large room arranged in a wide circle, with only one voice coming from each speaker. Visitors were encouraged to enter the space, move around from voice to voice, or just sit in the middle and enjoy the immersive experience.
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How do we usually listen to music? On a phone, little computer speakers, perhaps headphones, or even a high-fidelity stereo system. And if we attend a live concert, the sound typically emanates from performers (or amplifiers) directly in front of us. Zamir has occasionally experimented with singers surrounding the audience for one or two songs. But why not produce a whole concert in which the audience is totally surrounded by the performers?
That’s what we will be presenting at our concert on June 10. You, the audience, will sit in the center of the room, and we will surround you with amazing music from the 17th to the 21st centuries. Sometimes the sound will go back and forth from one group of singers to another on either side of you. Sometimes you’ll just be surrounded by an exquisite wash of sound from all sides. And sometimes we’ll invite you to sing with us—let’s call it a full-circle moment. We guarantee an awesome experience!
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Temple Beth Elohim to Host Zamir
Sunday, April 6, 2025, 4:00 pm, Temple Beth Elohim, 10 Bethel Rd, Wellesley: We’re looking forward to teaming up with TBE’s Cantor Shanna Zell for a delightful spring concert featuring selections from our wide-ranging repertoire. Ticket info (in person and live stream): https://tbewellesley.org/event/zamir-chorale-in-concert-hybrid/
Voices of Humanity
Sunday, May 4, 4:00 pm, Vilna Shul, 18 Phillips St, Boston: We are delighted once again to participate in the annual “Voices of Humanity” interfaith concert, which celebrates music from Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions. For ticket information, visit https://vilnashul.org/.
Concert in the Round—An Immersive Experience
Tuesday, June 10, 7:30 pm, Temple Reyim, 1860 Washington St, Newton: Join us for a unique “surround-sound” concert event, Zamir will remove the invisible wall that often separates performers from their audience, whether in the theater, the concert hall, or at worship services. Listeners will be placed right inside a circle of singers for an evening of offerings by composers such as Gershwin, Rossi, Bernstein, Lewandowski, Schiller, and Shemer. Plus we'll have some surprises. Singers in rotating positions and arrangements will treat the audience to a range of polyphonic and, at times, interactive music from many traditions—from meditative to rousing, whimsical to mystical, jazzy to prayerful. Come immerse yourself, opening your ears, and all your senses, to a fresh, dynamic listening experience!
Watch your email for ticket information.
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Z’Alumni Zoom in from Three Continents for “Peace Songs”
On February 2, our Zoom room filled for another wonderful Z’alumni event, “There Must Be Another Way: Peace Songs Across 60 Years,” including alums from the US, Europe, and Israel. Josh Jacobson shared a video of his moving and informative interview with Prof. Tanya Sermer, a Hebrew University scholar of contemporary Israeli song. They offered insights about the evolution of peace songs from Israel's early years to post-October 7, highlighting popular music that reflects the mixed attitudes of younger Israelis toward the current conflict. Watch here.
Attendees also enjoyed schmoozing and sharing fun commonalities, with Gail Terman as host. We ended with a sing-along featuring peace songs such as “Oseh Shalom,” “Sim Shalom,” “Shir La Shalom,” and more. Thanks as always to our Alumni Committee: Riki Lippitz, Alan Teperow, Jack Kahn, Larry Sandberg, Jeff Klepper, Joni Schockett, Helen Wanderstock, and Sharon Gillett. Stay tuned for upcoming Z’Alum news and events!
| | As always, let us know what you’re up to—we love hearing from our friends near and far. Wishing you all peace and joy and Pesach Sameach from our family to yours. | | |
Barbara Gaffin
Managing Director
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