Synagogue Music > Articles
British Cantors who performed in Cantors in Concert
(December 2004)
Born in 1976, Gedalya Alexander became interested in Cantorial singing at a very early age. As a boy, he sang with the cantors of his Synagogue in Manchester on High Holydays. Having been deeply moved by outstanding recordings of the great Cantors of the early 20 th century, as well as by the heartfelt rendering of synagogue services by his late grandfather from Galicia , he was inspired to become a cantor himself, one day. He serves as cantor of the prestigious Finchley Synagogue where he conducts the weekly Sabbath and Festival services, and has performed in concerts in London . He continues to study with Cantor Moshe Haschel, who has been an inspirational mentor. He studied classical singing with John Noble and is now studying with Anthony Roden.
David Apfel
David Apfel is cantor of the Beth Hamidrash Hagadol
Synagogue in Leeds , having inherited his cantorial virtuosity from his
late father, Dayan Joseph Apfel. He has enthralled audiences in North
America , Israel , Hong Kong , Australia , New Zealand and throughout
the UK and is in demand to sing in marriage services. He sings in several
languages and delights his audiences at home and abroad with his outstanding
repertoire of chazanut, Yiddish songs and humorous tales.
Robert Brody
Robert Brody began his vocal studies at the Birmingham
College of Music while he was a student of dentistry at the University.
On returning to London he continued at Trinity College of Music and
then with Benvenuto Finelli who introduced him to the Bel Canto vocal
technique as well as the Royal College and the Royal Academy of Music.
He has on many occasions been called on to act as Cantor in Synagogue
Services in London and throughout Europe , Canada and USA . He has visited
Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia to record Cantorial Music of the Ghetto
for BBC TV and has conducted memorial services in Warsaw , at Auschwitz
and Treblinka. He visited Romania this year to perform with the Arad
Phiharmonic choir in the Synagogue. He has given recitals in London 's
leading venues, has recorded for RCA and the BBC. He has recorded music
by Louis Lewandowski with the Zemel Choir of London , and with the BBC
Singers for Radio 3. His recently re-issued CD ‘Hebrew and Cantorial Melodies’ has
received wide acclaim.
Moshe Dubiner
Cantor Moshe Dubiner was born in London and brought
up in a Chasidic atmosphere, attending the Yesodey Hatorah School , followed
by Schneiders and Eitz Chain Yeshivot. At only 16 years old he was accepted
as a student at Jews College where he studied chazanut with the late
Rev Leo Bryll. He studied voice production under Dino Borgiolo and the
eminent Harold Miller. At the age of 17 he officiated at the Great Synagogue
in Commercial Road in the East End and later at the Great Garden Street
Synagogue where he was cantor for 2 years. In 1962 he was appointed cantor
at Bayswater Synagogue, following in the footsteps of Rev Leo Bryll and
2 years later accepted the post of cantor at Brondesbury Synagogue, taking
over from Rev Aaron Elfand. When Rev Faigenblum retired from Cricklewood
Synagogue, Cantor Dubiner took over and served them for several years
and in 1980 held the post of cantor when the Western Synagogue amalgamated
with Marble Arch Synagogue. For the last 30 years Cantor Dubiner has
combined running a successful business with being a part-time cantor
in various communities, ranging from Bournemouth via South of France
to Israel and the USA .
Rev Lawrence Fine is a renowned cantor who graduated from the Cantor’s Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and the Juilliard School of Music in New York . He has served congregations in New York , Israel , Holland and England , where until recently he was the cantor at Belsize Square Synagogue. From 1984 to 1986 he was the Director of the Masorti Association and since 1987 he has been the Director of the Institute of Nusach Hatefila at the Sternberg Centre in London . He has lectured in Liturgy, Kabbalah and Jewish liturgical music at the Leo Baeck Rabbinical College in London and has made several CD recordings, including the High Holy Day Music of Belsize Square Synagogue, The Salomon Sulzer Concert with the Zemel Choir and in April 2004, a recording of Chazanut in Holland from 1949 – 2004, entitled Tov Lehodot.
Rev Fine has made appearances with many fine orchestras including the Israel National Opera and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Zubin Mehta.
Moshe Haschel
Cantor Moshe Haschel was born in Buenos Aires
, Argentina and in 1969 emigrated with his family to Israel ... He graduated
from the Israeli Institute for Cantorial Art in Jerusalem where he studied
with Cantor Naftali Herstik, Cantor Moshe Stern, Eli Jaffe, Daniel liff
and Dan Hendrikson. In 1985, he accepted his first post as chazzan of
the Great Synagogue "Ein
Ya'akov' in Giv'ataim, Israel . Soon after he conducted services at the
Green & Sea Point Hebrew Congregation in Cape Town , South Africa
. In 1988 Cantor Haschel accepted a call from the Finchley Synagogue
and since 1997 he has occupied the bimah of the St. John's Wood Synagogue,
London . As an exemplary exponent of the cantorial art, his faithful
interpretations of some of the most intricate compositions demonstrate
a profound understanding of the various styles of this music, an accomplishment
that links him with the great cantors of the past. Along with his synagogal
responsibilities, Cantor Haschel is renowned as a concert performer,
singing to great acclaim in many parts of the world including England
, Israel , Europe , South Africa , The United States and Canada in addition
to having made several recordings. Among his many appearances on radio
and television one can perhaps single out the BBC live broadcast of the
first National Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony at Westminster Hall in
January 2001 In the presence of HRH Charles Prince of Wales, the Prime
Minister Mr. Tony Blair and many other dignitaries, Cantor Haschel chanted
the El Male Rachamim prayer for the holocaust martyrs.
Steven Leas grew up in South Africa , where he made a considerable impact as a cantor and also as a singer in the operatic and musical theatre fields. He was also the lead singer of a flourishing corporate band ‘Moodswing’ and the proprietor of a successful recording studio. He appeared many times on television with major SA orchestras and international soloists, singing in many styles He was Cantor of the Linksfield-Senderwood Hebrew Congregation and was selected by the South African Broadcasting Corporation to explain the role of a cantor to the South African Television Public. Steven is part of a South African Jewish version of the ‘Three Tenors Concert’ with Avron Alter and Oshy Tugentahft most recently in a very successful concert in Sydney , Australia . He was also the Chairman of The Finance Committee of SAMET (The South African Music Education Trust) of which Nelson Mandela is a Trustee.
Steven moved to London in the beginning of 2002 to further his operatic career where he completed the English National Opera ‘The Knack’ Programme under Mary King, Rufus Norris and Leah Hausman (of Royal Opera fame). He is currently studying voice production with Raymond Connell and Anthony Roden. He is cantor of the Great Portland Street Synagogue in London and sings with the Neimah Singers ( St John's Wood Synagogue) under Marc Temerlies and also is ‘Resident Cantor’ of the London Jewish Male Choir, Musical Director Michael Etherton, with whom he will tour Florida in 2005 together with Cantor Naftali Herstik. Steven visited Auschwitz in 2004 to record the memorial prayer ‘El Male Rachamim’ for the BBC, Canadian and Polish Television to mark the 60 th anniversary of the Camp’s liberation. He was chosen to take part in the National Holocaust Commemoration event at the Great Hall, Palace of Westminster (English Parliament) on 27 January 2005 , which will be televised nationally. Steven is planning a tour to South Africa with Stephen Glass in 2005.
Chaim Tsvi Lider
Chaim Tsvi Lider was born in Jerusalem in 1953
into an illustrious Rabbinic family. Yiddish was the language of the household,
while music and religious learning were both central to his upbringing.
Chazan Lider received his advanced religious education at Yeshiva Etz
Haim in Jerusalem . He left Israel to further his vocal training in New
York and Berlin , studying with eminent Chazanim such as Noah Shall. Married
with a family, he is now based in London from where he is pursuing an
international career.
Yehuda Marx
Cantor Yehuda Marx was born in Manchester
into a cantorial and Chassidic family. From a very early age he already
knew that he wanted to be a Chazan. He enrolled at Jews College to study
Chazanut full time under the late Rev Bryll and the late Rev Sherman.
During this period of study he made it his practice to listen to every
Chazan in London , often walking long distances to do so – an
experience he found very rewarding and uplifting. Yehuda has sung in
numerous synagogues in this country as well as in Israel , New York
and Sweden . At present, he is the Chazan of the Heaton Park Synagogue
in Manchester – a position he has
held since 1990.
Jonathan Murgraff was educated at the Hasmonean Grammar School and showed an interest in singing from a young age, performing in musicals and also conducting synagogue services. His interest in cantorial music was influenced by the late Chazan Korn and numerous visiting cantors who appeared at Hendon’s Raleigh Close Synagogue. While studying in Israel before starting university, Jonathan was chosen to perform as a soloist in the Jerusalem Theatre to inaugurate the World Bnai Akiva Congress. He was also selected to attend the prestigious Stuart Burrowes Master Class in classical and operatic singing and also participated in the competition for Young Jewish performer of the Year. He became Chief Cantor of the Central synagogue in London in 1996 and studied liturgical music under Richard Rosten and Cantor Moshe Haschel. He performed there in concert with the world renowned Moshe Stern. Murgraff still acts as a visiting chazan around London but runs a full time private dental clinic in London ’s West End .
Adam Musikant
Adam is the Honorary Chazan at the Spanish and
Portuguese Jews’ Congregation
of London, a position he has held since January 2000. From the age of
six, he has sung in the synagogue choir. Between the ages of eight and
fourteen he trained as a boy treble at the Royal Opera House and sang
in operas and concerts in the UK . In 1984 he travelled with the Royal
Opera to Los Angeles to sing in the Olympic Arts Festival. He has conducted
services for many years - (at the age of seventeen he took his first
Yom Kippur service at Bevis Marks) – mostly at Lauderdale Road
and occasionally at other Sephardi synagogues. Recordings include pop
and classical music, television, drama and most recently, a CD of melodies
from the liturgy of the Spanish and Portuguese, with their choir. As
a director of a financial trading company, Adam works hard to find the
time to devote to his love of chazanut, singing and golf.
Cantor Stephen Robins ARCM is one of just a handful of chazanim who trained at a full time course in the former Jews College under the tutelage of the late Rev L Bryll. He was awarded the diploma from the college in 1975 and then went on to study voice and repertoire for 9 years with Mark Raphael, a senior lecturer of the Royal College of Music.
Stephen is recognised as a leading teacher of Nussach Hatefilah, prayer motifs and has taught at Jews College (now the LSJS) for the last 15 years. He has held 2 major full time positions, 12 years at Wembley and later received a call from Edgware United, a position he held for 11 years. In 1997, he decided to become free-lance in order to expand his career internationally. For the last 7 years has been travelling, mainly to Canada and America . He has appeared on both commercial TV and the BBC over the past few years and has made several CDs, the latest one being a Taste of Shabbat. He has held a secondary post as Chazan to the Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue in Montreal , where he has conducted additional Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Services for 7 years and performed at major concerts both here and abroad. This year, Stephen conducted Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in Woodside Park , North Finchley , where he has been the part time chazzan for the last 4 years. The Synagogue has not had an adult choir before, but for this year, a new choir was formed. The choir proved to be highly successful and further events are in hand. The choir gave its first performance outside of Woodside Synagogue wich Stephen Robins at the Barbican Art Gallery on 15 December 2004
Lionel Rosenfeld
Lionel Rosenfeld was born into a family of
Rabbis and cantors and was imbued with an understanding of Jewish music
and prayer by his father, Rabbi Abraham Rosenfeld (zt"l). His own
inimitable interpretation of the liturgy inspired the Choral Shabbaton
services from which the Shabbaton Choir draws its name. Lionel sings
extensively with the Shabbaton Choir in concert and on tour under its
director Stephen Levey, and also works closely with Stephen Glass in
the composition of new music.
Lionel made Aliyah with his family in 1973. In 1988 he became Minister/Chazan at London 's Western Marble Arch Synagogue. After ten years he returned to Israel , before accepting a call to become Minister of the Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation in 2001. He will soon be returning to the Western Marble Arch Synagogue in London.
David Shine
David Shine’s interest in Chazanut began as a young boy. He
was inspired by the Chazanim in Nottingham where he grew up, firstly
by the late Rev Aaron Hiller and then by Rev Maurice Schwartz. He conducted
High Holydays Services in Staines at the invitation of Rev L Rosenberg,
whose daughter Janet he married. In 1973 he was appointed Chazan of the
North Hendon Adath Yisroel Synagogue, which he served for 30 years. He
has officiated as guest Chazan and performed at concerts in London and
in the provinces. David was introduced to the London Cantorial Singers
in 1997 by Ian Lyons z’’l. He serves on the choir’s
executive committee and is one of its lead cantors. David is a lyric
tenor. He learnt voice production under the late John Hargreaves; then
under Tony Maddison and now under Leslie Seymour. He studies Chazanut
under Cantor Moshe Haschel. David believes fervently that the aim of
the Chazan is to use the Chazanut and vocal techniques to reflect the
various layers of meaning in the prayers. Although seeking to be a faithful
follower of the liturgical tradition he does occasionally insert changes
in traditional chazanut compositions so as to reflect the true meaning
of the words. David also sings Yiddish and operatic pieces in concert
to critical acclaim. He is a solicitor by profession.
Geoffrey Shisler
Geoffrey Shisler studied Nusach Hatephillah
and Chazanut at Jews' College, London with the late Rev Leo Bryll. His
first full-time position was at the famed New Synagogue, Egerton Road
, Stamford Hill for 2½ years
and he then moved to Kenton where he was Chazan for twenty years. He
taught the part-time Nusach course at Jews' College for eleven years.
He was Minister/Chazan to the Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation for seven
years and is now the Rabbi of the New West End Synagogue, London, where
he officiates as cantor only occasionally when the resident Chazan, Jeremy
Lawson, is away.
Dov Speier was born in Stockholm. His training took place in many countries including Sweden , Belgium , Israel and England. Rev Speier is considered as a concert Chazan and gives operatic recitals. He has a wide range of singing styles in his performance including Opera, Yiddish and Israeli songs. He has given concerts in many countries including Sweden , Denmark and Israel. He is now a freelance cantor and takes services in the UK and abroad.
Articles
Activities
Reviews
Photos
Summer
Schools & Classes
