New North London Synagogue (NNLS) echoed with the sound of Chopin as it launched its first in a series of free lunchtime concerts.
The project, known as Intermezzo, kicked off with performances by cellist Rebecca Herman and pianist Peter Foggit who played for just under an hour in the synagogue’s beit knesset.
According to Intermezzo’s co-organiser Sarah Manson, the launch was a great start to an ambitious scheme, attracting an audience of over 80 people.
“We had such a fantastic response and lots of people said they’re going to tell their friends about it,” she said. “We hope this will be a really successful outreach project.”
NNLS will be holding a free Intermezzo event every month, offering a range of musical performances — including opera, jazz and classical pieces — that both reach out to the local community, and give young musicians the chance to showcase their talent.
Working with the Concordia Foundation, a charity that supports young musicians, the synagogue aims to create a diverse programme that appeals to all, from nursery school children to elderly care-home residents.
“We had five residents from Hammerson House attend the concert,” Ms Manson said. “And we’ve also been in touch with local schools like Akiva and JCoSS.”
She added: “We want to keep the event so that it’s of a very high quality, but at the same time accessible.”
The next Intermezzo event will be held on November 21, and will feature Edgar Bailey playing the violin and Annie Yim playing the piano in a programme including Beethoven’s “Kreutzer Sonata”.
