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From Where I Sit
Vivian Lazar, Director
Can excellence become more excellent? Perhaps not but striving for excellence can become more rigorous, more focused and in the case of HaZamir, contagious. As I watched our HaZamir conductors teach the challenging repertoire of this 20th HaZamir season, I witnessed hundreds of teens achieve a sense of accomplishment that I know they could never have imagined.
Sing two concerts back to back? Impossible, the kids will never sustain that.
Sing Ilu Finu and Netzach Yisrael by heart? Can't be done!
Choreograph L'Eyla so that almost 300 teens are moving together - You're kidding right?
But that's just what HaZamir did on March 17th at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Two concerts in one day, by heart, with the most challenging music that any choir let alone a teen choir let alone a Jewish teen choir might ever attempt. The result? Two exquisite concerts that couldn't fail to impress the most highly trained musicians.
For 20 years I taught in a school for gifted and talented minority students. The motto of that school was: To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required.
To our delight, HaZamir no longer has to require our teens to meet our high standards. HaZamir singers now expect nothing less than the best from themselves.
Have a wonderful summer!
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Matthew Lazar and HaZamir
Honored by Cantors Assembly in Concert
On May 19, The Cantors Assemby presented HaZamir in concert as the kickoff to their 66th annual convention. Over 100 HaZamir singers performed in Jazz at Lincoln Center as HaZamir soloists were partnered by Cantorial soloists.
Hazzan Stephen Stein, executive director of the CA and Cantor Jack Chomsky, outgoing President of the CA and conductor of HaZamir Columbus, made a moving presentation to Mati for his creation of HaZamir and his investment in the next generation.
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Matthew Lazar displays the award he received from the Cantors Assembly to the applause of the audience and HaZamir singers
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HaZamir Celebrates its 20th Anniversary
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The Avery-Grossman Family is honored at a reception in Jazz at Lincoln Center
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Zach Stecker (HaZamir NYC) and Gali Kellner (HaZamir Israel) make a presentation at the reception in honor of the Avery- Grossman families
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Left: Zoe Avery Grossman (alumna, HaZamir Bergen County) presents her grandfather, Cantor and Composer, Lawrence Avery with an award
Right: Composers Steve Cohen and Natasha Hirschhorn whose works were premiered at
20th Anniversary HaZamir Gala Concert
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