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SAVE THE DATE!
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Thursday, June 4, 7:30 pm
Temple Emanuel, Newton
Zamir: South of the Border A sizzling concert of music from Latin America
honoring Cantor Elias Rosemberg
featuring the Tucan Trio and the world premiere of "Yah Ribon," by Jeremiah Klarman
Please see details under Upcoming Concerts, in this issue. If you'd like to place an ad in the Tribute Book honoring Cantor Rosemberg or to purchase tickets: ($54, $25, with discounts for seniors, students and groups), visit |
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WINTER ROUNDUP
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Singing for Seniors
On March 15, Zamir performed our annual concert for the residents at
Hebrew SeniorLife in Roslindale. The program included selections from Zamir's repertoire, including Meir Finkelstein's "L'dor Vador," Louis Lewandowski's "Wie ein Hirsch," and Sholom Secunda's "Pis'chu Li." Zamir singers Devin Lawrence, Betty Bauman, and Andrew Mattfeld lent their conducting talents to the occasion. The Chorale surrounded the audience in a musical embrace for our now-traditional final selection, John Rutter's stirring "The Lord Bless You."
"I love this concert," said bass Devin Lawrence. "Every year the residents reteach me how to come alive to music all over again. Their gratitude makes me grateful for them." Chorus President and alto Judy Pike agreed: "This concert is always my favorite. It's so emotional and meaningful. The joy on their faces is something not easily forgotten."
Soprano Naomi Gurt Lind, who writes on Jewish themes, was moved to write this poignant essay on her blog after singing a solo at the SeniorLife concert: "'L'dor vador nagid godlecha. From generation to generation, we will tell Your greatness.' This beautiful text from the Amidah reminds us of the duty, privilege, and joy of communicating our religious tradition to our children." Continue reading the full post here.
Israel in Egypt at Jordan Hall
 On March 7, Zamir joined forces with the Metropolitan Chorale of Brookline for a rousing performance of Israel in Egypt, Handel's magnificent oratorio for double chorus, soloists, and orchestra. Lisa Graham, Music Director for the Metropolitan Chorale, conducted. Soloists included sopranos Sonja Tengblad and Brenna Wells; countertenor Reginald Mobley; tenor Jonas Budris; and baritones Bradford Gleim and Dana Whiteside. The concert was presented with the generous support of the Seth Sprague Charitable Foundation and Educational Trust.
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The Kings Theatre, London, in the Haymarket, where Israel in Egypt was first performed
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The enthusiastic audience bore witness to buzzing flies, swarming locusts, pounding hailstones, and hopping frogs, among the many dramatic manifestations of the story of Exodus. "There was an electricity to the performance that we hadn't experienced in rehearsal--as though the plagues were fresh in our minds," said Alto Section Leader Johanna Ehrmann.
In a letter to Josh and Zamir, Ken Cordio, the Metropolitan Chorale's president, wrote: "I'd like to express my sincerest thanks for the performance of Israel in Egypt at Jordan Hall. It was a truly moving evening of music. It was clear that you were enjoying the telling of this timeless story of triumph, not to mention the beautiful sound that our combined groups produced. I hope that you agree that our collaborations have been fun and fruitful for both of our groups!" Many thanks to you, Ken, and the entire Metropolitan Chorale for a rich and rewarding experience.
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ADIEU TO MCC'S CHARLES COE
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On March 3, Zamir Board Chair Robert Snyder and Managing Director Barbara Gaffin joined the Massachusetts Cultural Council at McCormick & Schmick's in the Back Bay to bid goodbye to Charles Coe, distinguished poet, arts advocate, and past Zamir honoree, who retired after 18 years of service to the MCC. The MCC is a long-time supporter of Zamir's and Charles was the state-funded organization's program manager.
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Pictured: Mike Ibrahim, Charles's successor at the MCC; Zamir Board Chair Robert Snyder; Zamir Managing Director Barbara Gaffin; and the guest of honor
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Dear Friends of Zamir,
Here comes the sun! It's springtime at last in New England. As the snow mountains slowly melt and the days grow longer, we're busy rehearsing for two big concerts, at Temple Shalom and Temple Emanuel in Newton, and June appearances in Boston in conjunction with the national Chorus America convention. But lest you think we've been hibernating, check out the roundup of our recent performance of Handel's Israel in Egypt at Jordan Hall with the Metropolitan Chorale; and a report from our indefatigable artistic director, Josh Jacobson, who flew to Salt Lake City for the annual convention of the American Choral Directors Association in February.
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| JOSH JACOBSON'S MUSINGS | | |
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.
I was asked to address a  session on "Music in Worship" at the annual convention of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) held last month in Salt Lake City. I decided to challenge these musicians (most of whom work in Christian churches of various denominations) to wrestle with the fact that most music that is used in worship fails to challenge anyone's comfort level.
In a recent New York Times op-ed piece, Bernard Holland wrote, "Less important music is being written for the church these days. . . . With its hand-clapping, inspirational, just-folks character, how different this music is from a tradition that ran from plainchant through Josquin and Palestrina to Mozart and Beethoven, and finally to Messiaen and Britten."
Doesn't the congregation ever want to just stop and listen and be inspired?
 I'd like to share four inspiring quotes on this topic by one of the great humanist conductors, the late Robert Shaw.
"One does not gain strength for the terrifying stresses of virtue by gorging his muscles on fraud and hanky-panky. A God of Truth, Goodness and Mercy is not honored by laying last night's top-40 or disco derivatives on his altar."
"Popular music is not the people's music. The people think so little of it that they tire of it in six to sixteen weeks."
"The truth is that worship should be a heart-wrenching, soul-searing, mind-stretching and generally exhausting experience. One should not be required to check his mind at the door."
"Great music is worship."
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Doesn't the congregation ever want to just stop and listen and be inspired?
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Here's a beautiful little poem by the 16th-century explorer, Sir Francis Drake:
"Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore."
Why do we sail so close to the shore? Why do we resist a musical experience that could ruffle us a little bit, disturb us, shock us, speak to our spirit, a musical experience that could inspire, that could trigger a peak experience?
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Great art has the power to transport us to a different place...
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The great American composer Charles Ives wrote, "Is not beauty in music too often confused with something which lets the ears lie back in an easy-chair? Many sounds that we are used to do not bother us, and for that reason are we not inclined to call them beautiful?"
Great art has the power to transport us to a different place, to take us deeper into ourselves, or to take us way outside of our normal zone of experiences. But so much of the music that we hear, so much of the music that we program, so
 much of the music that we perform tends to keep us in our comfort zone. I love this statement attributed to the Ba'al Shem Tov, the 18th-century founder of a radical Jewish movement called Hassidism: "Music is that which takes you from where you are to where you want to be." And I might add that great music takes you from where you are to where you didn't even know you wanted to be. Surprise! How did I get here?! Wow! Awesome!
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| UPCOMING CONCERTS | |
Thursday, May 14, 7:30 pm, Berenson Hall, Hebrew College, 160 Herrick Rd, Newton: The School of Jewish Music at Hebrew College will present a special showing of Mendelssohn, the Nazis and Me, a documentary film by writer and director Sheila Hayman, a descendant of the famed 19th-century German composer. The film chronicles the Nazis' attempt to erase the music of Felix Mendelssohn--a devout Christian who was born Jewish--from the history books, and of his decsendants' struggle to stay alive during the Holocaust. Prior to the screening, Zamir and Hebrew College's Cantor Lynn Torgove will perform excerpts of Mendelssohn's Elijah. Afterwards, a panel discussion, moderated by Professor Joshua Jacobson, will focus on Mendelssohn's musical and cultural legacies, as well as the Jewishness of Mendelssohn and his descendants. For more information, contact [email protected].
Sunday, May 17,
7:00 pm, Temple Shalom, 175 Temple St, Newton: We are delighted to be participating in this year's Newton Festival of the Arts Interfaith Choirs concert, joining Cantor Elias Rosemberg, Cantor Peter Halpern, and 12 choral groups totaling 120 participants from diverse religious backgrounds in Newton. Each group will perform one piece and all the choirs will then join hands in song. Join us for this unforgettable evening! For tickets, visit Festival of the Arts.
Thursday, June 4, 7:30 pm, Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward St, Newton: Mark your calendars for "Zamir: South of the Border," our spring concert, this year honoring Cantor Elias Rosemberg, and featuring sizzling music from Latin America, with guest artists, the Tucan Trio. The trio, which formed in 1998 in Tel Aviv, features three Brazilian-Israeli musicians: Joca Perpignan, percussion
and vocals; Amir Milstein, flute; and Hagai Rehavia, guitar. In a concert prelude, we will present the world premiere of Yah Ribon, composed by Jeremiah Klarman in honor of Cantor Rosemberg. Jeremiah is a young composer whose music Zamir has commissioned and promoted many times over the past five years. His newest work is an impressive tour-de-force! For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit zamir.org.
 Thursday, June 18, 12:30 pm, State House, Boston: Zamir will be appearing with the Jerusalem Youth Chorus. The JYC is "an ensemble of high school students from East and West Jerusalem working to attain high levels of collaborative musicianship and empathy for one another. Through music and dialogue, the Palestinian and Israeli singers learn skills of communication and trust," according to the JYC's website. Later that afternoon, Josh Jacobson will present a session, "Great Choral Music on Jewish Texts," at the Park Plaza Hotel as part of the annual Chorus America convention, this year held in Boston and hosted by the Handel and Haydn Society.  Chorus America is an organization promoting advocacy, research, and leadership development that advances the choral field. This session will introduce attendees to the often-surprising breadth and depth of choral music from the Jewish traditions, with a live performance by Zamir. Participants will learn about and hear music both secular and sacred, modern and ancient, classical and traditional.
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| KEEP IN TOUCH! | | |
As always, let us know what you're up to--we love hearing from our friends near and far. Chag Kasher v'Sameah! Happy Passover and we hope to see you soon!
 
Barbara Gaffin Deborah Sosin
Managing Director Editor, E-Notes
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