The Jewish Choral Conducting Institute, the first-ever program dedicated to high level training of conductors of Jewish choral music, has officially launched in the United States and Israel. JCCI was created by maestro Matthew Lazar, founder and director of the Zamir Choral Foundation, to provide professional education and to continue the joy and meaningful experience of Jewish choral music into the next generation.
“Choral music lies at the intersection of text, music, and community. It implants cultural identity, history, memory and catharsis,” says Lazar. “The conductor integrates music and text with mastery, precision and excellence, creating inspiring and transformative musical moments. JCCI provides the specialized, intensive training needed to make all this possible.”
Each cohort of JCCI Lazar Fellows in the United States and Israel consists of 12-15 conducting students gather for intensive, in-person retreats and workshops, monthly online meetings and one-on-one mentoring sessions with Lazar and guest presenters designed to foster ongoing growth and create an active community of Jewish choral conductors. They will receive a Certificate in Jewish Choral Conducting upon completion of the two-year program.
The Jewish Choral Conducting Institute is made possible through the generous support and visionary leadership of Cantor Robert Lieberman and Rabbi Vicki Lieberman, marking an historic moment in Jewish choral music education and a major investment in the future of the Jewish choral movement.
“Under the direction of Matthew Lazar, Jewish choral music and its impact on Jewish literacy will not only be secured but expanded throughout the United States and Israel,” says Cantor Lieberman. “Maestro Lazar has extensive knowledge of the text-music relationship and a distinctive way of teaching and shaping the talents of a new generation of conductors.”
The Israeli Fellows met recently for two days in Tel Aviv to begin their groundbreaking conducting journey. Under Lazar’s expert guidance, these fellows worked with select Israeli choral singers for a deep dive into challenging Jewish choral music, including works by Leonard Bernstein, Franz Schubert (who composed music to Hebrew text) and contemporary Israeli and American composers.
The American JCCI Fellows had the unique opportunity to work with a professional choir comprised of some of the New York area’s most accomplished choral singers during their first retreat. The fellows were able to evolve artistically and technically under Lazar’s training, while the singers found themselves captivated by the beauty of the music, further developing the appreciation of Jewish choral music.
“We are guided by a vision of vibrant Jewish identity through the study and performance of Jewish music at the highest level of excellence. Our mission is to create a pipeline of talented and knowledgeable conductors of Jewish choral music who will ensure the future of this rich and empowering art form,” adds Lazar. “The enthusiasm and dedication shown by both our fellows and their session singers confirm that we’re well on our way to achieving this goal.”
Many of the JCCI Lazar Fellows are currently applying their newly acquired knowledge in their roles as conductors or assistant conductors with choirs in their communities and/or chapters of HaZamir: the International Jewish Teen Choir across the United States and Israel.
“Learning from Maestro Lazar, the most outstanding conductor, is a tremendous honor as he teaches us things that no academy around the world could ever do,” says JCCI Fellow Nitzan Shoham, who conducts the Jerusalem HaZamir chapter. “And when our history is bound in the highest level of choral music ever written, it makes the JCCI an exceptional experience and significant institution. We are so lucky to have this combination of improving ourselves as musicians and a fascinating glimpse into the rich past of Jewish choral music.”
For information regarding the Jewish Choral Conducting Institute at Zamir Choral Foundation, visit www.zamirchoralfoundation.org. Media Contact: Liz Ammirato, liz@callprinc.com.
