The work of Jewish Reconstructionist composers will be performed at "No Rock Like You: Songs for the Jewish Soul." This Shalshelet concert will be at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13 at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in downtown Washington, or at workshops the day after. The concert will feature inspiring new works — pop and classical to Latin and klezmer — performed by gifted soloists, a full choir, drums and more. Free creative workshops for music lovers, musicians, and composers will take place on Sunday, Dec. 14, also at Sixth & I. Visit www.shalshelet.org for details and tickets.
Participants include Manel Frau-Cortes, Cantor Marcelo Gindlin, Mark Glicksman, Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael, and Rabbi Shawn Zevit. Read more to learn about these talented Reconstructionists.
Born on the island of Mallorca, Manel Frau-Cortes is currently enrolled as a cantorial student at Gratz College. He studied piano and composition at the Ciutat de Mallorca’s Professional Conservatory, as well as jazz piano and arrangements at Taller de Músics, a contemporary music school in Barcelona. He also earned a Masters in Hebrew-Aramaic Letters from Barcelona’s Central University and is a published translator and music scholar specializing in Medieval Hebrew literature. His career as a composer, arranger, producer and performer spans styles from folk to jazz-fusion and New Age. In addition to liturgical settings, he has composed soundtracks for several short films, including Drop Plot (1993), as well as music for theatre including Membria d’en JuliB (2000) by Iguana Teatre and Una Noche Contigo by Haché de Teatro.
Cantor Marcelo Gindlin, born and raised in Buenos Aires, now lives in southern California where he serves as Cantor of the Malibu Jewish Center & Synagogue and teaches at the University of Judaism. In addition to certification as Hazzan & Ba’al Tefillah from the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary, he has earned two degrees in music therapy and has extensive experience as a teacher, composer, choir director, and performer. His music can be heard on two CDs, Alfie’s Bark Mitzvah (accompanying the book by the same name) and Tot Shabbat with Cantor Marcelo. He has performed with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, at CAJE national conferences, and at synagogues around the U.S. In 1986 he performed in Buenos Aires with Ofra Haza (z”l), and in 2007 he was selected to officiate at Kabbalat Shabbat on the occasion of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s visit to the University of Judaism. (see http://www.mjcs.org/cantor_music.asp)
Mark Glicksman came to music composition after beginning piano lessons at around age 50. In addition to composing choral pieces, he enjoys writing songs in styles ranging from calypso to doo-wop, singing in the choir at Reconstructionist Congregation Or Hadash in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, gardening, and cooking for family and friends. His day job is in engineering and software design.
Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael is the rabbi of Beth Israel Congregation in Woodbury, New Jersey. She consults with the Jewish Women’s Spirituality Institute and InterFaithways: an Interfaith Family Support Network of Greater Philadelphia and teaches in numerous locations in the area. She performs with MIRAJ, which recently released the CD Healing Chants for the Soul, and with Shabbat Unplugged. She can also be heard on her CD, Friday Night Revived. (see http://www.shechinah.com/)
Rabbi Shawn Israel Zevit is a founding member of Shabbat Unplugged (who recorded the JRF Pesach companion CD to "A Night of Questions") and Playback Philadelphia. He also co-directs the Davennen’ Leadership Training Institute. He is Director of Outreach and Tikkun Olam and a congregational consultant for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation and is also on the steering committee for Harmoniyah: the Reconstructionist Music Network.(see www.rabbizevit.com)