Celebrate With Song 2009
In June 2007, The Zemel Choir hosted a mass celebration of mixed voice Jewish choral music, entitled Celebrate with Song, which culminated in a concert at St John’s, Smith Square, and featured performances by choristers of all ages and varied ability. The success of the event spurred us on to hold another, in June 2008. This year, building on our past experience, and taking into account some of the suggestions of previous participants, we are modifying the format slightly to include a longer session of voice production, and combined workshops for all participants. Come and experience the joy of Jewish choral music for yourself.
To register for this event please e-mail us at celebratewithsong@hotmail.com
This event will take place in central London on two Sundays, 31st May and 14th June 2009. It is open to participants with differing levels of singing experience. Details are as follows:
Workshops
This year there will be a single specially formed workshop group, and this will participate in workshop rehearsals on both the 31stMayand 14thof June. The group will perform repertoire of varied standard, and so will be open both to people with limited experience of choral singing and music theory, and who do not feel confident about reading music or sight-singing, and also to those who have significant experience of singing with amateur choirs.
The group will learn three or four pieces covering a range of different styles and periods (liturgical and light, old and new). The aim is to give a flavour of the range of Jewish choral music. The group will perform the music that they learn at St John’s, Smith Square, on Sunday 14thJune.The Group leader will be Benjamin Wolf, Musical Director of The Zemel Choir.In the afternoon of the 31st May, there will be a Voice Production Workshop led bySuzi Digby OBE, one of the judges from the BBC Television series Last Choir Standing, and founder of the Voices Foundation and the chamber choir Voce.
Sunday 31stMay 2009 (Detailed Schedule Below)
On this first day, the main focus will be workshops/rehearsals for new singers wishing to become more familiar with Jewish choral music, including a voice production workshop led by Suzi Digby.
Venue: London Welsh Centre
09.45 Registration
10.00 – 10.30 Introduction and initial warm-up
10.30 – 11.30 Workshop
11.30 – 11.45 BREAK
11.45 – 12.45 Workshop
12.45 – 13.45 LUNCH
13.45 – 15.00 Voice Production Workshop with Suzi Digby
15.00 – 15.15 BREAK
15.15 – 16.30 Voice Production Workshop with Suzi Digby
16.30 – 16.45 BREAK
16.45 – 17.45 Final Sing-Through
Sunday 14th June 2009
In the morning, there will be further workshop for the Group (working on the music that was learnt the previous week).Later in the afternoon, there will be a brief rehearsal at St John’s Smith Square, followed by a concert (open to the public).The concert will include performance by The Zemel Choir, the Yavneh College Choir, and the workshop groups.
Venue: London Welsh Centre
10.00 – 11.15 Workshop
11.15 – 11.30 BREAK
11.30 – 12.30 Workshop
Afternoon rehearsals (St John’s, Smith Square)
3.00 – 3.45 Zemel Choir Rehearsal
3.45 – 4.25 Workshop Group rehearsal
4.25 – 5.25 Chichester Psalms Rehearsal
5.25 – 6.00 Yavneh College Rehearsal
7.30 Concert
Workshop Leaders – Brief Biographies
Benjamin Wolf is Musical Director of the Zemel Choir. He has performed with the choir at major London venues, on tour in Europe and for the BBC. He regularly conducts a number of other choirs in and around London, as well as composing music for theatre and the concert hall. As a pianist he performs in both the UK and abroad. As an orchestral conductor he has performed for the BBC Proms, as well as conducting the Wallace Ensemble - a young, professional chamber orchestra.
Suzi Digby OBE is incredibly passionate about singing, both from a musical perspective and for its ability to transform lives, Suzi has an international reputation as a choral director and conductor.In 1993 Suzi founded the Voices Foundation. Working in infant and primary schools in deprived areas throughout England and Wales, the Foundation aims to transform children and the ethos of schools through singing, helping children socially, emotionally and intellectually. Also reaching out to schools internationally, close to one million children have benefited from the scheme. Suzi also founded the chamber choir Voce in 2003. Comprising experienced singers in their twenties and thirties, they perform frequent concerts and tour abroad regularly. With a very high standard expected of her singers, she aims for Voce to become one of the finest chamber choirs in Britain and they are already well on their way. In 2007 Suzi received the OBE for services to music education.
Celebrate with Song is a venture by The Zemel Choir in partnership with The Spiro Ark Institute and supported by the Harold Hyam Wingate Foundation.