Shira 2005 with Sephardic Singer Consuelo Luz
Our synagogue's music program touches each and every member of our congregation at some point in their Jewish year and lives. The following list will help to refresh your memory of what has transpired musically in our congregation since June 2004:
The Hanukkah Family Concert was a holiday potpourri that featured storyteller Michael Katz, The Inner-Light Gospel Choir, the Shir Chadash Teen and Youth Choirs, young soprano Amy West, and Cantor Childs.
Rabbi Cohen’s Installation Weekend included such musical highlights as Bob Remstein’s newly commissioned piece “My Brothers/Hineini” sung by our Cantor and Choir as well as The Temple Cabaret Singers who regrouped to perform customized renditions of “The Telephone Hour” and “Hello Dolly”.
Shira 2005 with Sephardic Singer Consuelo Luz
Shira 2005 with Sephardic Singer Consuelo Luz brought some hauntingly beautiful Ladino music to our sanctuary. This concert was in collaboration with the SBJF Adult Education program.
Purim Spiel – “The Legend of Shushan Gulch”… Our regular cast of spielers returned for another of Aaron Ettenberg’s musical massacres of the Purim story. This year’s story, a quasi-Western set in the Mid-East, featured the Purim debuts of Rabbi Cohen and PreSchool Director Michele Martin. “Those Hillel Days, we used to know....”
The Role Model - on April 16 & 17, Cara Freedman’s original rock musical was performed by a cast of 24 actors ranging from 4th thru 10th grades. The production staff included Daniel E. Hochman, Beth Weinberg, Mindy Horwitz, Melodie Nelson, and Cantor Childs.
Requiem Ebraica by composer Erich Zeisl was performed by the combined choirs of Valley Beth Shalom and CBB with conductor Dr. Noreen Green and soloist Cantor Mark Childs as part of our annual Yom Hashoah Memorial service on May 4.
Cantors in Concert - On May 12, Cantor Childs was joined by nine Southern California cantorial colleagues and pianist Bob Remstein in a festive concert celebrating Yom Haatzma-ut and the American Conference of Cantors.
Shir Chadash Band at The Jewish Festival
The Jewish Festival - The Role Model cast performed and our Teen Choir joined with our Shir Chadash Band for a crowd-pleasing hour of musical entertainment at Oak Park. Original songs by Rob Raede, Oded Gottesman and Craig Rosen were a particular treat.
The Shir Chadash Adult Choir
Ranging in number from a core group of 12 to a mixed choir of 24 voices for The High Holy Days, this group of congregants and volunteers from the community meets every week for rehearsal and fun. In addition to monthly Shabbat services throughout the year, the choir has participated in each of the High Holy Day services, and special musical events including the Consuelo Luz concert and the performance of Zeisl’s “Requiem Ebraica” both at our synagogue and at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino . The choir continues to welcome new members and invites congregants who possess the desire to sing in a choir coupled with an intermediate ability to read music to join us this coming year.
The Shir Chadash Youth Choir
Composed of religious school students from grades 2 thru 6, this group of enthusiastic and energetic young musicians rehearses weekly during Sunday morning religious school sessions. Because of scheduling conflicts with “The Role Model”, the Youth Choir’s season was limited this year to a single performance at our Hanukkah Concert. We look forward to a upcoming year full of activities.
The Shir Chadash Teen Choir
Students ranging from 7th - 10th grades arrived a half-hour before Academy each Wednesday evening to enjoy making Jewish music together. The Teen Choir has proudly participated this past year in our Hanukkah concert, the Yom Hashoah service, and at the Jewish Festival.
The Shir Chadash Orchestra (aka “the Temple Band”) - An exciting element of our monthly Family Shabbat worship services, the band continues in its fourth year. Cantor Mark Childs, Daniel E. Hochman, Oded Gottesman, Lena Kang-Birken, Jason Raede, Rob Raede, Craig Rosen, Sheliyah Rosenbaum and our new percussionist Jake Himovitz comprise this talented and spirit-filled musical ensemble.
In an effort to teach and inspire the community outside our synagogue's doors, Cantor Childs brought his love of Judaism and Jewish music to the following groups and organizations: Jewish Family Services, UCSB Hillel, SB Rehabilitation Institute, Samarkand Retirement Community, B’nai B’rith Lodge, Monroe Elementary School, Heritage House, and Valle Verde Retirement Community.
The Cantorial Endowment Fund offsets the cost of maintaining a strong music program and a full-time cantorial presence in our congregation. The fund is half way toward its goal of $1.5 million. Please consider this fund as the recipient of a large gift or bequest to insure the continued strength of our Temple’s music program.
The Harold and Sylvia Oreskes Music Fund provides special musical programming for our congregation. Every donation to the fund brings us closer to achieving our goals of making Jewish music a regular part of our lives and souls. Please think about honoring someone special with the gift of music through a donation to this fund.
The Music Committee of our congregation, chaired by Melodie Nelson, acts as an information and support system for the Cantor and is a liaison between the Cantor, congregants, and the Temple board. Committee members help to organize and support musical events and concerts.