Festival of Choirs in honor of Chanukah, NYC, Dec 11
CHOIRS AND CANTORS SPARK THIS CHANUKAH SEASON
Over 250 adults and children will celebrate Chanukah, the
Festival of Lights, in concert, 3 P.M., Sunday, December
11, 2005, as Congregation Rodeph Sholom of Manhattan hosts
its unique Festival of Choirs. The sixth annual concert
will feature Cantors and their choirs from the New York
City metropolitan area. This year, the first night of
Chanukah is Sunday, December 25, 2005.
A Festival of Choirs is free of charge and open to the
entire community.
Congregation Rodeph Sholom is located at 7 West 83rd Street
off of Central Park West in Manhattan. For more
information about this concert, please call (212) 362-8800,
ext. 1337.
“It is truly magical to hear this many adults and
children celebrate the Chanukah season through song,”
according to Congregation Rodeph Sholom’s Senior Cantor,
Rebecca Garfein. “We all look forward to continuing this
tradition for many years to come.”
Highlights of the concert will include “Raise up the
Menorah” written in 2004 for the Midrash Hour V by Rodeph
Sholom congregant, Eliot Bailen and students from the
Rodeph Sholom Day School and Religious School. The Midrash
Hour is a full length musical written by Mr. Bailen and
students from the Rodeph Sholom schools each year. The
song, “Raise up the Menorah” will be sung at the Festival
of Choirs by the combined children’s choirs, 100 voices
strong. Another highpoint will be the concert’s
finale, “Bring on the Light,” a piece by composer, singer
and actor, Danny Maseng, that was commissioned by
Congregation Rodeph Sholom for the Festival of Choirs in
2001.
Also featured at the concert will be area Adult Volunteer
and Children’s Choirs, along with Cantor Garfein and Cantor
Jennifer Frost, Associate Cantor, and Cantorial Intern
Jennifer Strauss-Klein of Congregation Rodeph Sholom. Also
participating in the concert will be Cantors Bruce Ruben
and Daniel Singer, Temple Shaaray Tefila, Manhattan; Cantor
Ida-Rae Cahana, Central Synagogue; Cantor Kathy Barr,
Village Temple, Manhattan; Cantor Steven Pearlston, Free
Synagogue of Flushing, Queens, New York; Cantor Janet
Leuchter and Music Director, Rose Moskowitz, Congregation
Beth Elohim, Brooklyn, NY; Cantor Claire Franco, Community
Synagogue, Port Washington, NY; and Cantor Fredda
Mendelson, Larchmont Temple.
Accompanying the choirs will be acclaimed pianist, composer
and arranger, Jonathan Faiman. Joining Mr. Faiman will be
the “Festival of Choirs” combo: John Hadfield, percussion,
Mike Cohen, winds, and Dan Freeman, upright and electric
bass.