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Dear Friends,
Happy 2025! We hope you enjoyed warm and refreshing holiday celebrations with loved ones. We’re glad to be heading back to rehearsals to prepare for our spring concerts. In this issue, we present Josh Jacobson’s Musing on what makes music “great,” the latest news, and our Fall Roundup. Stay tuned for info about additional events still in the pipeline. And, as always, enjoy our monthly Musical Messages (archived on our website), where Josh offers fascinating background info about a particular work, a composer or performer interview, and a clip from a concert video.
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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.
What Makes It Great?
Every season, I try to choose great music to perform at our concerts, but, as composer-conductor Rob Kapilow put it, “What makes it great?”
Wouldn’t “great” be based at least partly on matters of taste? Of course, because one’s tastes develop from personal experiences and expectations.
But perhaps there are a few things we can all agree on.
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Great music can stand the test of time. I recently saw a wonderful quote from Israeli-Argentinian conductor Daniel Barenboim, pictured: “Every great work of art has two faces; one toward its own time, and one toward the future, toward eternity.”
Think of symphonies, poems, plays, paintings, sculptures that were created centuries ago and that still have the capacity to engage us.
Great music has depth and shape, more than just surface appeal. This is music that can bear repeated listenings. Each time, we delight in the parts that we remember, but we also discover something we hadn’t heard before. This isn’t background music; this is music that rewards us with a peak emotional response.
We enjoy varieties of rhythm and tempo, harmony and counterpoint, crescendos and diminuendos. These aspects of a work move us both emotionally and physically.
We also delight in the colors of sound. Whether it’s Isaac Stern’s violin or Renee Fleming’s soprano voice or John Coltrane’s saxophone or Naftule Brandwein’s klezmer clarinet, we are awestruck by the sounds of great performers.
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When choosing repertoire for Zamir performances, I seek out music that appeals on both surface and deep levels. It might be fun, it might be intense, it might take us to a place of sadness or joy.
So come to a Zamir concert. Listen to “October Rain,” Avodat Ha-Kodesh, “Break Forth into Joy,” or “There Must Be Another Way.” Listen carefully, be inspired, and be carried away.
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Sunday, April 6, 2025, 3:00 pm, Temple Beth Elohim, 10 Bethel Rd, Wellesley: We’re looking forward to teaming up with TBE’s Cantor Shanna Zell for a splendid spring concert featuring selections from our wide-ranging repertoire. Ticket info to come at: https://tbewellesley.org/
Tuesday, June 10, 7:30 pm, Temple Reyim, 1860 Washington St, Newton: Join us for our season finale at our home base in Newton for a special evening of immersive music—our singers will offer a unique “surround-sound” experience, forming a circle around the audience. Full details will be provided in our spring issue, so stay tuned!
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Zamir Awarded Grant from the Mass Cultural Council
Zamir is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a Mass Cultural Council (MCC) grant for 2025. With funding from the Commonwealth, the MCC partners with artists, communities, educators, and organizations to unleash the power of culture across Massachusetts. Zamir has been a beneficiary of the MCC for many years and we are deeply grateful for their continued support.
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Meet Conducting Intern Asher Cohen
This season, we are excited to welcome Asher Cohen as conducting intern with Zamir, a position established in 2000 to train conductors in the field of Jewish choral music. With an undergraduate degree in music from Tufts University and a master’s in music education from Berklee School of Music, Asher has deep and rich experience as a teacher, singer, pianist, and myriad other roles. Currently a worship leader at Temple Beth Shalom and fourth-grade teacher at Temple Hillel B’nai Torah, Asher hails originally from Orlando, Florida. Of his experience thus far, Asher writes, “So far, the internship has been helpful in my development as a musician, a Jew, and a conductor. Working with Josh has given me the opportunity to study my culture’s history and chat with an expert. I enjoy both our lessons and the resources that Josh has pointed me towards.”
The conducting intern has a range of responsibilities, including studying technique with Josh, singing in the chorale, and occasionally serving as conductor in rehearsals and concerts. Click here for more information about the position.
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Z’alumni Z’ing-along: On December 15, alumni and current singers gathered at the home of Alan (“Tep”) Teperow and Suzanne Hanser for an informal Winter Warmup. Jeff Klepper led the troops in some songs, followed by an array of Josh Jacobson’s and Larry Sandberg’s selected Zamir favorites, with Ed Swanborn at the piano (and Nancy Swanborn ably turning pages, as always). Thanks to Larry for his tech wizardry, including offering the event on Zoom for our long-distance or stay-at-home friends. Pictured (l-r): Jeff Klepper, Zamir board member; Dawn Ringel, board member; Ronda Jacobson, Herbie Birnbaum
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Hanukkah Happens: On December 24, Zamir joined Cantor Elias Rosemberg and the Temple Emanuel community in Newton for our 34th-annual holiday concert. This year’s event featured selections from Jewish-themed operas and oratorios, including Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Verdi’s Nabucco, as well as works by Weill, Starer, Halévy, and more. Zamir members Sharon Goldstein, Betty Bauman-Field, Sharon Shore, and Corey Shore, among others, contributed their solo vocal talents. Emanuel’s enthusiastic audience enjoyed some Hanukkah treats to round out the evening, including Tom Lehrer’s popular “Hanukkah in Santa Monica.” Gratitude to our stellar instrumentalists, Paul Carlson, piano; Moises Carrasco, bass; Taki Masuko, percussion; and Bruce Creditor, clarinet.
Local “Synagigs”: On December 8, we joined Zamir tenor and Temple Beth Shalom Cantor DJ Fortine; and, on November 17, we were hosted by Cantor Jamie Gloth at Temple Israel in Sharon. We always love collaborating with fabulous vocalists for concerts featuring selections from our vast repertoire. Highlights of our fall programs included songs of social justice and Middle East peace and reconciliation, like Josh Jacobson’s new arrangement of “October Rain,” a powerful song about the events of October 2023 made famous by Israeli singer Eden Golan.
| A Message from Our New Board Chair, Cantor Louise Treitman | |
“Zamir is a family. Since 1995, I have been a soloist, assistant conductor, vocal coach, section leader, board member, and simply a singer. I am now delighted to serve as board chair. I look forward to hearing your hopes and dreams for Zamir. Let us fill this year with music.”
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Please let us know what you're up to--we love hearing from our friends near and far! All best wishes for a peaceful and joyful new year to our friends around the world! | |
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Barbara Gaffin
Managing Director
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