New Jewish Music: Three Concerts

Concerts to Feature New Jewish Music Written by Film and TV Songwriters:  Three Days of Original Liturgical Music

New Jewish Music will be performed for the first time publicly the weekend of Jan. 25-27 at three different LA area locations, announced Cantor Phil Baron of Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue, Founder of the Helfman Composers Group which commissioned the new work.

The concert will kick off with the first of 20 original liturgical pieces on Friday evening, Jan. 25 at Valley Beth Shalom, located at 15739 Ventura Blvd., Encino at 8 PM under the direction of Dr. Noreen Green.  On Saturday, Jan. 26 at 9:15 AM, the concert will continue at Temple Aliyah, located at 6025 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills, under the direction of Chris Hardin with the Shabbat Shira choir.  These concerts will be part of regular religious services.

On Sunday, Jan. 27 at 5 PM, the three-part event will culminate with unusual and innovative orchestral works inspired by brilliant satirical Polish Jewish artist Arthur Szyk and will include a moving tribute to Kristallnacht, at the stunning and historic Wilshire Blvd. Temple, 3663 Wilshire Blvd. in Koreatown, Los Angeles, whose renovation is nearing completion.  This last concert will be directed by Cantor Don Gurney and will also feature the Shabbat Shira Choir.

The new music has been created by composers and songwriters from the worlds of television, film and video games, with Grammys, Emmys and multiple awards and credits to their names:  Karmit Bar-Lev, Sharon Farber, Joshua Fishbein, Richard Friedman, Aaron Fruchtman, James Fuchs, Michael Gill, Cantor Rita Glassman, Chris Hardin, Michelle Green-Willner, Cantor Rebekah Mirsky, David Kates, Michael Mogley, Bob Remstein, Michael Silversher, Cantor Mike Stein, Cantor Paul Dorman and Cantor Phil Baron.

The new works include two "sermons in song," an idea conceived by Dr. Michael Isaacson, which dramatically set stories from the Torah.

Made possible by a grant from the Jewish Music Commission of Los Angeles with encouragement from Dr. Richard Braun, each concert is free and open to the public.