- (718) 261-2900
With our own Ari Evan and his lineup of internationally recognized musicians, we are delighted to present the series in our sanctuary with its outstanding acoustics.
The repertoire of each concert features an acclaimed work by a Jewish composer.
Join us for three Sundays at 2:00 pm.
Members $18; $50 for subscription to all three concerts
Non-members $25; $65 for subscription to all three concerts
$36 at the door
Free for students with ID and those under 18
Or mail your check to RTFH, 71-11 112 Street, Forest Hills, NY 11375
Selections from “Nine Sephardic Songs”
Arranged for voice and harp by Samuel Milligan
Cantor Emily Wigod Pincus, voice
Susan Jolles, harp
Sephardic melodies (songs from the Jewish communities of the Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa) have frequently been arranged for guitar and piano. This is the only known arrangement of these beloved melodies for harp, composed by our congregant Susan Jolles’ good friend, Samuel Milligan, of blessed memory.
Alan Shulman “Rendezvous” for Clarinet Quintet
Alan Shulman, a Jewish American composer and cellist, wrote several symphonic and chamber music pieces, and jazz compositions. Many of his works have been recorded, some by Jascha Heifetz and Artie Shaw. This piece was originally written for none other than Benny Goodman!
~Intermission~
-Osvaldo Golijov “Dreams and Prayers for Isaac the Blind”: I. Prelude
Golijov, a Jewish Argentine composer and winner of two Grammys, currently resides in the United States. This piece was inspired by a story about the13th-century Kabbalist Isaac the Blind and by his own family’s history. Golijov uses liturgical tunes, Klezmer and Western classical music to create a stunning musical soundscape that is both ancient and modern.
-Brahms: Clarinet Quintet
Graeme Steele-Johnson, clarinet
Eunice Kim and Cameron Alan-Lee, violins
Zoë Martin-Doike, viola
Ari Evan, cello
Johannes Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115, was written in 1891 for the clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld, scored for a clarinet with a string quartet. When Brahms composed this piece, only a few works had been composed for this type of ensemble. The Brahms quintet shows parallels to the Mozart Quintet.
Susan Jolles, harpist, has enjoyed a long and varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, teacher, and arranger. A founding member of the Jubal Trio, recipient of the Naumburg Chamber Music Award, she also appears with daughter, Renee, violinist, as the Jolles Duo. Ms. Jolles is a member of the American Composers Orchestra, Musica Viva (New York), the Little Orchestra Society, and is associate harpist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. She has collaborated with artists that span all musical styles and has performed on Grammy Award Albums with the Contemporary Chamber Ensemble and Dawn Upshaw.
New York-based cellist Ari Evan maintains an active performing career throughout North America and Europe. He completed his Artist Diploma at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapelle in Belgium under the tutelage of Gary Hoffman. A versatile chamber musician, Ari has performed with numerous international soloists and toured with the Rolston String Quartet and Quatuor MONA. He has world-premiered works in collaboration with various living composers and is featured on a variety of music labels. Recently, Ari has served as guest principal of the St Paul Chamber Orchestra.
With a refreshing blend of thoughtfulness and spontaneity, violinist Cameron Alan-Lee’s music making has captivated audiences around the world. While attending the Colburn School he studied privately with Chan Ho Yun and Aimee Kreston and was a founding member of the award-winning Chimera Quartet. In 2016, the quartet were awarded top prizes at the St. Paul String Quartet Competition, the WDAV Young Chamber Musicians Competition and the inaugural MPrize Chamber Music Competition. Cameron performs on a 1911 Giuseppe Fiorini violin with a bow crafted by Eugene Sartory.
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, violinist Eunice Kim made her solo debut at the age of seven with the Korean Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra. Called “just superb” The New York Times, she has made her solo debuts with The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Louisville Symphony. A winner of Astral’s 2012 National Auditions, Eunice has received multiple other awards and honors. She has taught at numerous international music festivals is currently a member of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Praised for his “elegant and rounded sound” (Albany Times Union) and “effortless…unmatched” technique (The Clarinet Online), Graeme Steele Johnson is an artist of uncommon imagination and versatility. He was also recently appointed as clarinetist of the award-winning quintet WindSync, one of only two American wind quintets with a full-time, international touring schedule. He has appeared in recital at numerous premiere venues and music festivals. Grame was the winner of the Hellam Young Artists’ Competition and the Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition.
Violinist/violist Zoë Martin-Doike is a versatile artist who engages in a wide variety of musical activities. A top prize winner at the Primrose International Viola Competition and the Lennox International Young Artist Competition, Zoë has appeared as a soloist with the multiple orchestras. Zoë was a founding violinist of the Aizuri Quartet which garnered top prizes at the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition. Zoë is currently a tenured violist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
For Cantor Emily Wigod Pincus, creating community through music is the foundation of her cantorial work. Finding the right music, poetry, and prayer that leads to a soul connection is her passion. A native New Yorker and former opera singer, Cantor Pincus studied voice at Manhattan School of Music and La Escuela Superior de Canto in Madrid. Cantor Pincus has also garnered numerous awards and prizes in the performance of both cantorial and contemporary Jewish music. Her investiture as Cantor in 2008, was the culmination of a love for both music and Judaism that extends back to childhood.
