Jewish Culture Day on the South Bank
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Jewish Schools Choir Festival 2006 - Sing a New Song
26 November 2006, 2.30pm - 4.00pm Queen Elizabeth Hall

Children from ten Jewish Primary Schools present their own selections of songs for the anniversary and join together in new songs specially written with words by Myrna Glass and music by Stephen Glass expressing what it means to be Jewish in Britain today. Choirs accompanied and joint choir conducted by Stephen Glass. All seats £5 (children £3)

Supported by Mr M Sorkin and the Kennedy Leigh Charitable Trust

Internationally acclaimed choirmaster, accompanist and composer, Stephen Glass is well-known to UK audiences. He grew up in Wembley where he led the synagogue choir from the age of 16 and was a long-time accompanist to Cantor Stephen Robins. After graduating in Music from the University of East Anglia , Stephen came back to London for postgraduate studies in composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. To perform his own arrangements of Jewish music a new choir, The Bnai Brith Festival Singers was set up and in July 1986 Stephen Glass conducted their debut performance at the Wigmore Hall in the second Bnai Brith Jewish Music Festival (a precursor of the Jewish Music Institute). Soon after this Stephen Glass was offered a position as Director of Music at Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Montreal , Canada . So sadly for us, he left the UK in 1990. The choir continued after his departure as the Shabbaton Choir and continues to this day under the direction of Stephen Levey. Stephen Glass has earned a fine reputation in North America in the world of Jewish music for his innovative ideas, consummate knowledge and skill and his ability to motivate young and old. He is in great demand as a concert creator, conductor, accompanist, arranger and composer. He is the accompanist of choice to many of the great names in the cantorial world. He is a regular faculty member of the North American Jewish Choral Festival and Zamir Choral Foundation. Stephen has written music for the National Film Board of Canada, and in 1998 composed and/or arranged all the music for Toronto ’s ‘Night of a Lifetime’ in celebration of Israel ’s 50th Anniversary. In Montreal he currently directs seven choirs, including male-voice, mixed-voice, teens and children’s and has created and conducted Gala Concerts with choirs and full symphony orchestra, in the magnificent Sanctuary of his synagogue. Stephen has been working in the UK since 2003, when he was appointed Director of the JMI Choral and Cantorial section. He has re-established the Jewish Schools Choir Festivals held three choral Festivals for adults and children and created and run cantorial enrichment programmes including for both orthodox and progressive traditions.

• Akiva School
• Ilford Jewish Primary School
• Independent Jewish Day School
• Hertsmere Jewish Primary School
• Moriah Jewish Day School
• Naima Jewish Preparatory School
• North West London Jewish Day School
• Rosh Pinah
• Simon Marks Jewish Primary School
• Wolfson Hillel Primary School

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Box office

T: 08703 800 400
www.rfh.org.uk
Concessions - £2.50 off each ticket if booking more than one show (except Jewish Schools Choir Festival)

Presented by JMI and Central Synagogue
Supported by the Jewish Chronicle

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