On Sunday, May 15 at 4:30 pm, Temple Sholom will highlight the extraordinary voices of the synagogue’s music program in a special spring concert, open to the community. Led by Cantor Asa Fradkin, this harmonious experience for all ages will feature melodies from different eras of Jewish music in tribute to the temple’s 100th Anniversary.
“The theme of this concert is celebrating Temple Sholom and Jewish music through time,” said Fradkin. “When celebrating an anniversary, there is a tendency to look back and see how you got to that moment. The music of this concert serves a similar function in remembering the organic revolution of Jewish music and how it’s both grown and changed with the times.”
To encompass diverse styles of Jewish music, Fradkin has enlisted the expertise of guest Cantors Arianne Brown (Adas Israel Congregation, Washington DC), David Perper (Beth Haverim Shir Shalom, Mahwah, NJ), and former Temple Sholom Cantor Hershel Fox (Valley Beth Shalom, Encino, CA), who are well-known for their interpretations of Opera, Sacred Chant and Yiddish.
One of the most anticipated performances of the evening will be the World Premiere of Cantor Gerald Cohen’s Oseh Shalom. Cohen, an award-winning composer and Cantor at Shaarei Tikvah (Scarsdale, NY), felt that the piece would be paired best with the talents of the 8th through 12th graders that comprise the Temple Sholom Teen Choir.
“For me, music is one of the best ways of celebrating anything,” said Cohen, who often writes pieces for synagogues and Jewish choral groups across the country. “I’ve known Cantor Asa since he was my composition student and we always talked about the possibility of my writing a piece for Temple Sholom. To have a concert focused on the music being made by the teens of the congregation is a way of celebrating the past and looking forward to the future. I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
The Temple Sholom Youth Choir will also participate in the grand finale of the synagogue’s Centennial year of programming by contributing two rousing choral pieces under Fradkin’s lead.
“Everyone will be reminded of the thrill that it brings us to watch younger generations embrace the music of our tradition and the excitement in knowing that our love for Jewish music has been passed on,” said Fradkin. “This concert will truly be a celebration of not only our incredible music program, but Temple Sholom’s commitment and dedication to having a strong Jewish presence in Greenwich.”
A suggested donation of $10 per person is encouraged. Please RSVP in advance to Alice Schoen at 203-542-7165 or [email protected].
Temple Sholom is located at 300 East Putnam Avenue.