The youth choir “Belsize Youth Choir” was founded in 1950 by Hanni & Paul Lichtenstern and has been directed by music director Sue Mariner ever since. Since Sue Mariner retired, Alyson Denza has been the driving force behind the choir.
The choir rehearsals take place during religious classes (cheder) and the choir accompanies all B’nei Mitzvah services in the synagogue. Furthermore, the choir sings on all high holidays during the youth services and at Yom Kippur for the afternoon prayer, the Mincha.
The young singers enter the choir at the age of about 7 and mature into full choir singers until the B’Mitzwa. Usually the singers remain choir members until the end of their university studies.
Over the years, the Belsize Youth Choir has participated in other events, including concerts in synagogues, most recently with Zemel Choir and participation in theatre productions. But also appearances at the 150th anniversary of the New Synagogue and two services in Westminster Abbey in memory of Reichskristallnacht.
More choirs of the Louis Lewandowski Festival 2016
ENSEMBLE PROFETI DELLA QUINTA
The ensemble was founded in the Galilee region of Israel by Elam Rotem. It is currently based in Switzerland, where its members undertook further study at the Schola Cantorum in Basel.
Festival DVD kaufen!
Alle Festival DVDs (Audio / Video) des Louis Lewandowski Festivals sind bei Hentrich & Hentrich, dem Verlag für jüdische Kultur und Zeitgeschichte erschienen. Die DVDs sind Aufzeichnungen der großen Abschlusskonzerte mit alle Ensembles des jeweiligen Jahres. Sprachen: deutsch und englisch.
JUGENDCHOR SYNAGOGE PESTALOZZISTRASSE
For generations children have been coming to the synagogue in Pestalozzistraße with their parents. Here, the synagogue service is an interaction between cantor, choir and organ as well as Lewandowski’s music which plays a central role.
LEIPZIGER SYNAGOGALCHOR
Jewish music in the Ashkenazi Diaspora was flourishing incomparably during the 19th and beginnings of the 20th century; a phenomenon primarily caused by organ building in liberal synagogues in Central Europe.
Synagogal Ensemble Berlin
The Synagogal Ensemble Berlin (SEB) was founded in 2002 by Regina Yantian as a concert ensemble. It consists of 8 - 16 professional singers, who work at international opera houses and are also active as freelance concert singers in the choir of the Pestalozzistrasse Synagogue, among others. Choir director and artistic director in Regina Yantian.
THE LEWANDOWSKI CHORALE
The majority of South African synagogues are orthodox and do not allow women to partake in singing. This means that even though the tunes of Lewandowski and his contemporaries are still widely sung in these synagogues, the original texture and harmonies are often lost.