World Premiere of Meira Warshauer's "Ashirah Lashem" To Be Given In
Springfield, Massachusetts by Mak'hela Jewish Chorus - Performance at
Sinai Temple on April 10 at 3 PM
Meira Warshauer's "Ashirah Lashem" for SATB chorus and piano will be
given its World Premiere performance by Mak'hela, the Jewish Chorus of
Western Massachusetts and their conductor Kayla Werlin on Sunday, April
10 - 3 PM at Sinai Temple, 1100 Dickinson Street in Springfield,
Massachusetts.
"Ashirah Lashem" was jointly commissioned by Mak'hela and Sinai Temple,
Cantor Emily Sleeper Mekler. The composer, who will be attending the
performance, has described the work as follows:
"I chose this text last Summer, shortly after speaking with
Bob Stern about the possibility of writing the first commissioned
work for Mak'hela. He described the chorus and its enthusiasm
for singing Jewish music. Looking in the song section of my
Benscher (book with blessings after the meal and various songs
for Sabbath), I found these four lines and immediately felt
they could celebrate and express the joyful singing of Mak'hela.
I then went on a river rafting trip in Idaho where this text
reverberated in me, the trees, rivulets, hills-- all of
Creation exulting and singing to the Creator, the Eternal
One. When I returned from the trip, I was officially invited
to compose the new work, and I asked if this text would be
acceptable. It wasn't until I was immersed in composing that
I looked at the rest of Psalm 104 for further reflection, and
was delighted to discover the preceding verses are overflowing
with praise for the Creator and Creation: Ma rabu ma'asecha
HaShem. Kulam b'chochmah asita (How many are Your works,
HaShem, You made them all with wisdom.)."
Other performers for this concert who will present other musical selections
will include the Sinai Temple Adult Choir, Cantor Emily Sleeper Mekler
conductor, The Valley Klezmer Orchestra and the Sinai Temple Band, led
by Amy Rose.
Tickets for this concert are $12 general admission, $6 for students.
For more information, contact Sinai Temple at 413-736-3619 or visit them
online at http://www.sinai-temple.org.
Meira Warshauer's compositions have been performed and recorded to
critical acclaim throughout the United States and in Israel, Europe,
and Asia. A graduate of Harvard, New England Conservatory of Music,
and the University of South Carolina, Dr. Warshauer studied composition
with Mario Davidovsky, Jacob Druckman, William Thomas McKinley, and Gordon
Goodwin. She has received numerous awards from ASCAP as well as the
America Music Center, Meet the Composer, and the South Carolina Arts
Commission. In 2000, she received the first Art and Cultural Achievement
Award from the Jewish Historical Society of S. Carolina.
Ms. Warshauer is an Associate Music Faculty member at Columbia College,
Columbia, South Carolina. Her CDs include the soundtrack to the documentary
"Land of Promise: The Jews of South Carolina" and "Spirals of Light",
chamber music and poetry (by Ani Tuzman) on themes of enlightenment, on
the Kol Meira label, "Revelation" for orchestra, included on the MMC CD
"Robert Black Conducts, " and "Bati l'Gani (I entered My Garden)" for
solo flute on Paula Robison's CD "Places of the Spirit," produced and
distributed by Pucker Gallery, Boston. Her music is published by Oxford
University Press, MMB Music, World Music Press and Kol Meira. Her latest
Bracha Newsletter is online at
http://www.jamesarts.com/releases/feb05/MW_nws_020504.htm. You can find
much more about her at http://home.sc.rr.com/meirawarshauer/
For more information about Meira Warshauer, please contact Jeffrey James
Arts Consulting at 516-797-9166 or [log in to unmask]
Jeffrey James Arts Consulting
Tel/Fax: 516-797-9166
Website: http://www.jamesarts.com
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