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In This Issue
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Josh Jacobson's Musings
Zamir Sings Anthem at Fenway
Gala Golden Anniversary Concert
50th-Anniversary Alumni Events
Zamir Becomes Choir-in-Residence at Temple Reyim
Upcoming Concerts
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Upcoming Concerts
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On Sunday, July 7,
members of the Zamir Chorale of Boston will perform at the opening-night ceremonies as part of the 30th-annual North American Jewish Choral Festival, this year held at the Stamford Hilton in Stamford, Connecticut. Mazel tov to our dear colleague, Matthew Lazar, founder and director of the festival's sponsor, the Zamir Choral Foundation, on this auspicious occasion!
Sunday, December 15, 4:00 pm, Central Reform Temple, 15 Newbury St, Boston:
Join us at this lovely annual Hanukkah celebration and candle-lighting ceremony. The Chorale will perform in the cantata "A Light Through the Ages," text by Rabbi Howard A. Berman, which weaves a chronicle of the celebration of the holiday in different times and places over the centuries. Free and open to the public.
Wednesday, December 18, to Sunday, December 22: The Zamir Chorale is thrilled to return to the Louis Lewandowski Festival in Berlin, Germany. Deep thanks to the festival's director, Nils Busch-Petersen, a prominent businessman and Lewandowski aficionado, for the honor. Full details to come in the fall.
Tuesday, December 24, 7:30 pm, Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward St, Newton: Our annual "Hanukkah Happens" concert, with guest soloist Cantor Elias Rosemberg, will be called "Zamir on the Lighter Side." Stay tuned for more.
Other engagements on the calendar so far include the annual concert at the historic Vilna Shul in Boston, on Sunday,
March 29, 2020.
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| Z@50 Alumni Events |
Luncheon Honoring Ronda Jacobson; Evening Boat Cruise
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Joni Schockett addresses Ronda
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To kick off the capstone Z@50 weekend celebrations prior to the concert, over
100 alumni, board members, current singers, friends, and family gathered at Temple Emanuel to honor Zamir's First Lady, Ronda Garber Jacobson. A slideshow of Zamir's family over the past 50 years showed Ronda, Josh, and singers from the early years, many of whom were there to pay tribute to Ronda.
Touching speeches by Ronda's cousin Roz Garber Toledano, Joyce Bohnen, Alan Teperow, Joni Schockett, and, of course, Josh, sparked laughter and tears among the group. After singing several of Ronda's favorite tunes, the group surprised her with a special parody song set to the tune of "HaZamir" with new lyrics by Johanna Ehrmann. Thanks to Joni and Joyce for organizing such a marvelous afternoon!
That same evening, 75 members of the Zamir community enjoyed a lovely cruise in Boston Harbor.
Though the weather was a bit brisk, the group's spirits remained warm below deck, where they sang, shared stories and photos, and reminisced about the old days. Some guests had traveled from California, Florida, New York, New Jersey, and even Israel, to reunite with their fellow singers. It was clear that Zamirniks through the years share more than just their love of music--the bonds formed are unbreakable. May they last another 50 years!
Heartfelt thanks to Alan "Tep" Teperow, chair of the Z@50 Alumni Committee, and his whole team, for their dedication and hard work all year long!
Luncheon photos taken by Larry Sandberg.
To see more, click
here.
And to watch the complete video of the luncheon, click
here.
Thank you, Larry!
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Suzanne Hanser, Alan Teperow, Judy Malavsky Scott, Charna Warna Schakow
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Meet the New Conductors
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We are delighted to announce that three musical leadership positions have been filled for the 2019-20 season--one assistant conductor and two conducting interns. Welcome!
 Daniel Mahoney
(tenor) will serve as assistant conductor. A friend of Zamir's past assistant conductor, Andrew Mattfeld, Daniel holds a bachelor's degree in music education from Ithaca, and two master's degrees in choral conducting--from Boston Conservatory and the University of Birmingham (UK).
Andy Friedman
(baritone)  will serve as a conducting intern. Andy has been immersed in Jewish music since his childhood in New York. He has a bachelor's degree in music from Princeton and a PhD in Music Theory from Harvard.
Ariel Wyner
(tenor) will also serve as a conducting intern. Growing up in Pennsylvania, Ariel  served as a cantorial soloist in several congregations and served one summer as music director of Camp Ramah in the Poconos. He spent a year in Israel, during which time he sang under Stanley Sperber in the Jerusalem Academy Chamber Chorus. He has an undergraduate degree in vocal performance and music education from Northwestern, and just finished his master's degree in composition and production from Berklee School of Music.
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Zamir to Be
Choir-in-Residence at Temple Reyim
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Since 1989, Zamir has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with Hebrew College--first in Brookline and then in Newton. As choir-in-residence, we have enjoyed HC's hospitality for our rehearsals. And we have collaborated with Hebrew College faculty on many concert/lectures and other educational programs. In fact, Zamir's roots can be traced to Camp Yavneh, which was closely allied with Hebrew (Teachers) College in the 1960s.
Zamir will be leaving the College this summer. Starting in September, we will be in residence at Temple Reyim in Newton. Of course, Zamir's connection with Hebrew College will remain strong. Josh will continue to be on the faculty, and we will continue to explore possibilities for new educational collaborations.
Zamir is grateful for Hebrew College's hospitality and we look forward to enjoying our new status as choir-in- residence at Temple Reyim, with Rabbi Dan Berman and the entire Reyim community.
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Auditions for
2019-20 Season
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If you are an experienced singer with a strong choral background, consider joining the Zamir Chorale of Boston. All voice parts welcome!
Auditions for the 2019-20 season will be held:
Sun., Sept. 22,
7:00 - 9:30 pm
Temple Reyim,
1860 Washington St., Newton
Auditions are by appointment only and must be scheduled in advance by emailing
manager@zamir.org.
In addition to the audition, candidates are required to attend open rehearsals on Tuesday, Sept. 10 and 17, at Temple Reyim.
Candidates must have excellent vocal quality, the ability to sightread music, and previous choral experience. Visit our
website
for further details.
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Board
and Chorus
Officers Elected
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The following board members were elected for the 2019-20 season:
Gilbert Schiffer, Chair
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Gilbert Schiffer,
Chairman of the Board
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Peter Finn, Clerk
Michael Victor, Treasurer
Peter Bronk
Bruce Creditor
Bruce Donoff
Elyse Friedman
Barbara Gaffin, ex-officio,
Managing Director
Josh Jacobson, Artistic Director
Rachel Miller, ex-officio, Chorus President
Jeff Rosenberg
Lawrence E. Sandberg
Robert Snyder
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Josh with Rachel Miller
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The chorus also held elections for next season. Rachel Miller was re-elected as president; Anne Levy succeeds Charna Westervelt as vice-president.
(Photos by Mickey Goldin)
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Wow! That's all we can say as we continue to revel in the spirit, sounds, and sense of deep connection that the Zamir community experienced during our Gala 50th-Anniversary events. But if you weren't able to get to Boston for the festivities, we'll still cover all the bases in this chock-full-of-news issue; and also look ahead to the fall season, which includes a return trip to Berlin for the Louis Lewandowski Festival. Speaking of covering the bases, be sure to watch the video of Zamir singing the national anthem at Fenway Park on June 13! Also below is Josh Jacobson's latest musing, this time on music and social change. Finally, we bid goodbye to our longtime home, Hebrew College, as we take up residence at Temple Reyim in Newton.
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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 Andy Weigl) |
I recently attended a seminar on
"
The Role of Art in Social Change
"
at my college class
'
s 50th reunion. The description read,
"
What role can the arts play in informing and inspiring action, reaching hearts and minds, and building a shared commitment to enacting difficult change?
"
It was interesting to hear the panelists relate how they had used music in their careers as social activists. And keep in mind, ours was the class of 1969, so social change played an oversized role in our thinking.
But it made me think. Does music have to justify its existence?
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Does music have to justify its existence?
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We
'
ve heard a lot about how music
can make people better. A few decades ago
,
the
"
Mozart Effect
"
inspired expectant mothers to play Wolfgang
'
s music to make their fetuses smarter. Lately, neuroscientists have teamed up with musicians to study how the brain processes music. A study of choral singers showed that Immunoglobulin A, a protein used by the immune system to fight disease, increases by 150% during rehearsals and by 240% during concerts. Scientists have recorded the release of dopamine in anyone who performs or even listens to music. Chorus America has commissioned studies that (not surprisingly) reveal that young students  who join a chorus improve their grades in all school subjects, and adults who sing in a chorus are by and large more philanthropic and better citizens.
Perhaps some songs have had an effect on social change. Think of the power of
"
We Shall Overcome
"
or
"
Blowin
'
in the Wind.
"
Patriotic songs can be stirring. But to what extent does music effect social change, and to what extent does it reflect social change?
For me, if music is to be powerful, it must be because of the quality of the music itself. We can be tremendously moved by the music of Mozart
'
s Requiem even if we don
'
t know the back story of Count Walsegg
'
s secret commission, even if we don
'
t understand the Latin lyrics. I understand that music has extra-musical uses. Zamir uses music as a banner of ethnic pride. But (for the most part) I choose only music that can stand on its own two feet, even without the crutch of its extra-musical message.
Yes, music can effect social change and, more likely, can be affected
by
social change. Yes, there are many proven health and social benefits of performing, and even listening to, music. And yes, there are many extra-musical factors that may influence our attraction to or appreciation of a particular style or composition. But in the end, for me, it
'
s all about the music itself.
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HOT OFF THE PRESS
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Take Us Out to the Ball Game
As part of Jewish Heritage Night, on Thursday, June 13, members of the Zamir Chorale were extremely honored to perform the national anthem during the festive pre-game ceremonies at chilly, drizzly Fenway Park in Boston. The Red Sox played the Texas Rangers and, no doubt bolstered by Zamir's indomitable spirit (!), came back from a 6-1 deficit to win 7-6. Special thanks to chorus president Rachel Miller for making Zamir's appearance a reality. Go Sox!
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Maestro Jacobson conducts national anthem. (Photo by Mickey Goldin)
To watch the official video, click here.
(Zamir sings around minute 9:00.)
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JewishChoralMusic.com Is Live!
We are thrilled to announce the official launch of a brand-new website,
JewishChoralMusic.com
,
a comprehensive resource center for anyone looking for choral music from a wide variety of Jewish traditions and experiences. The website was developed as part of Zamir's 50th-anniversary educational projects. Choral conductors, singers, and musical leaders from around the world now have access to music representing a wide spectrum of styles, eras, voicings, nationalities, languages, and levels. Visitors may use the site's resources to read articles, books, and blogs; review programming suggestions; buy sheet music; listen to podcasts and recordings; and much more.
Please note that the site is still under construction. Look for expanded content, compositions, and information about composers to be added over the next few months. Let us know what you think!
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Z@50 ROUNDUP
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Gala Concert
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Joyce and Michael Bohnen honor Josh.
(Photo by Mickey Goldin)
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The Z@50 jubilee weekend culminated in the Gala Golden Anniversary Concert honoring Joshua Jacobson at Sanders Theatre in Cambridge on Tuesday, June 4. A packed house of enthusiastic fans, friends, family, and alumni was treated to a rich, rousing, and deeply satisfying program that included the world premieres of six newly commissioned works by composers Jeremiah
Klarman, Kenneth Lampl, Jonathan Leshnoff, Cantor Charles Osborne, Nick Page, and Cantor Benjie Ellen Schiller--each one distinct in its tone, harmonies, and meaning, and performed impeccably by the choir, Zamir accompanist Edwin Swanborn, and guest instrumentalists and soloists.
Over 50 alumni singers joined the
 current group to sing five pieces, including Salamone Rossi's "Halleluyah" and Max Janowski's "Sim Shalom." Stanley Sperber, who founded the Zamir Chorale in New York and originated the idea for the Zamir Chorale of Boston, flew in from Israel to honor Josh and to conduct
Yehezkel Braun's arrangement of "Uri Tsafon." Other highlights included a screening of the Halleluyoh Virtual Choir video and tributes to Josh from Z@50 chairs Joyce and Michael Bohnen, who presented Josh with an acoustic guitar as a thank you. Thanks to the efforts of Senators Cynthia Creem and Rebecca Rausch (a Zamir alumna), who were in attendance, Josh was also awarded an official citation from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Senate in recognition of his contribution to Jewish music and culture.
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Josh and Stanley Sperber (Photo by Larry Sandberg)
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To close the evening, the choir on stage and other singers in the audience sang the "Hineh Ma Tov" movement of Leonard Bernstein's
Chichester Psalms, whose message is more relevant now than ever: "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." The festivities continued into the night at a boisterous after-concert party downstairs for donors, singers, and alumni.
Much gratitude to the volunteers who helped make Z@50 such a success: Joyce and Michael Bohnen, chairs of the Zamir@50 Leadership Committee; Peter and Nancy Finn, co-chairs; Robert and Myra Snyder, co-chairs; Gilbert Schiffer, Chairman of the Board of Directors; and Alan Te
perow, Alumni Committee Chair. Also thanks to Zamir's concert manager Larry Sandberg; and to Devin Lawrence, assistant to the conductor.
Most of all, Kol Hakavod to our musical and spiritual leader, Josh, for his marvelous achievement in creating and building Zamir for 50 years.
An Apology
We deeply regret the omission of a bio in the program booklet of one of our good friends and esteemed soloist, Hazzan Elias Rosemberg, who sang the premiere of Jeremiah Klarman's joyful "Hodu" at our June 4 gala concert.
 Cantor Rosemberg was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a family of musicians, including his grandfather, a Hazzan; and his father, a Klezmer clarinetist. At age 18, Cantor Rosemberg worked as a Hazzan at Chaim Weitzman community in San Martin, Buenos Aires, and later studied at the Seminario RabĂnico Latinoamericano.
After serving as cantor in several communities in the U.S., including Temple Beth Emeth in Chestnut Hill, Cantor Rosemberg moved to Temple Emanuel in Newton in 2007. In addition to his cantorial duties there, he performs regularly with the Bostonian Opera and Concert Ensemble and Zamir. He is currently the New England Region Chair for the Cantors Assembly and also serves on their national Executive Council. He is the immediate past president of the New England Board of Cantors and has served on the faculty of the Cantor-Educator program at Hebrew College as a Cantorial Coach.
Ethnic Identity in Choral Singing Symposium
On May 15, at Hebrew College, as part of the Z@50 events, Joshua Jacobson facilitated a diverse panel on "Ethnic Identity and Choral Singing."
Other participants represented Jewish, African-American, Hispanic, Greek, and Arab traditions, including Brother Dennis Slaughter of the Boston Community Gospel Choir; Richard Barrett, Dormition of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church; Carol Marton of Koleinu, Boston's Jewish Community Chorus; Andre de Quadros of Voices 21C; Jose Rivera of the University of North Carolina; Nick Page of the Mystic Chorale; and Lynn Torgove of Kol Arev. The group discussed the challenges and benefits for a chorus that specializes in music from a single ethnic tradition, as well as the challenges of cultural (mis)appropriation.
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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 near and far. Have a wonderful, relaxing summer. We'll be back with much more news in September!
Barbara Gaffin Deborah Sosin
Managing Director Editor, E-Notes
Watch Our Halleluyoh Virtual Choir!
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