By Eileen Wingard
LA JOLLA, California — “Sing Out!” A Festival of Jewish Choirs will take place Sunday, April 3 at the Lawrence Family JCC’s Garfield Theater . Cosponsored by the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture’s Music Series Committee and the Astor Judaica Library, the concerts will inaugurate the library’s recently organized Jewish Music Collection. The core of the collection is the sheet music of Cantor Henri Goldberg (1902-1977), former choir director at Temple Beth Israel and at the 54th Street JCC. Two exciting performances, one at 1:00 p.m., the other at 4:00 p.m. will bring together ten choirs.
The wonderful music-making taking place throughout San Diego County under the direction of high caliber directors will be showcased at this community-wide event. Most of the choirs are known only to the congregants of that institution. Adat Shalom, for example, has four fine choral groups. Motivated by the silver-voiced Cantor Lori Wilinsky Frank, the adult choir is conducted by Jane Masur, the men’s barbershop ensemble, the Menschtones, is conducted by David Garstang, the Youth Choir is conducted by Jennifer Garstang, and the Children’s Choir is led by Cantor Frank, herself. They meet regularly and sing for congregational events, Shabbat services and holidays.
Another singing congregation with an impressive youth choir and an adult Shabbat and Festival Choir is Congregation Beth Israel. The adults are directed by Nancy Jones Johnson. Inspired by the glorious mezzo of Cantor Arlene Bernstein, The Teen and Youth Choirs also participate in Friday night services. The youth choir toured Israel during the summer of 2008, performing in Modi’in, Haifa, Jerusalem and at the shores of Lake Kinneret.
Temple Solel’s Junior Choir enhances Friday night services and is 60 strong. They are under the expert direction of Judy Grant who has an extensive background in performing and teaching. She is also the director of “On the Town,” the J Company’s 32-voice traveling performance group which sings for charitable organizations throughout the community.
Ruth Lopez-Yanez is the talented conductor of the Jewish Men’s Choir. Founded by the esteemed vocal coach, Rhoda Gaylis, The Jewish Men’s Choir has performed throughout San Diego County and is modeled after Jewish Men’s Choirs in South Africa. Bracha Crayk is the enthusiastic conductor of the Jewish Women’s Choir/Sisterhood Shira, a newly formed group which meets at Beth El Synagogue.
The repertoire for the two concerts will span the gamut of Jewish song from sacred to secular and will be sung in Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino and English. Each group will offer three selections.
The 1:00 p.m. program will feature the four choirs of Adat Shalom, the Temple Solel Junior Choir, “On the Town” and the Jewish Men’s Choir. The 4:00 p.m. program will include the two choirs of Congregation Beth Israel, the Jewish Women’s Choir/Sisterhood Shira and the Jewish Mens Choir.
At both programs, the choirs will join forces to conclude with an arrangement of “Y’rushalayim” by Cantor Henri Goldberg and Ben Haim’s arrangement of “Hatikvah.” Conducting the combined choirs will be Sheldon Merel, the celebrated Cantor Emeritus of Congregation Beth Israel, one of the leading musical lights of San Diego. David Kroll, who sang in choirs conducted by Cantor Henri Goldberg, will introduce the programs. Tickets: $18 general, $15 JCC members. Box Office: 858-362-1348 www.sdcjc.org
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Wingard is a former San Diego Symphony violinist and a freelance writer based in San Diego