HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir will join for three days of workshops and rehearsals at the annual HaZamir International Festival, where 300 teens will share Jewish culture, music and values as they cultivate international friendships. The Festival will culminate in a gala performance at the Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC on March 19 at 3 p.m. under the direction of Maestro Matthew Lazar, founder and director of the Zamir Choral Foundation.
HaZamir was created in 1993 by Matthew Lazar to provide an opportunity for talented young Jewish singers to sing great Jewish music at the highest standard of excellence. HaZamir singers express their Jewish identities and love of music with peers from a range of cultural and economic backgrounds and diverse levels of religious observance. Together, they perform Jewish choral music on the world’s greatest stages. For 30 years, HaZamir has served as a training ground for a new generation of singers, investing in young people so that they have a deeper understanding of the values, traditions and glory of Judaism and artistic expression.
“We are more than a choir, we are an incubator for developing future leaders who find their voices and purpose,” said Lazar.
Many HaZamir graduates have gone on to musical careers and have assumed leadership roles in their communities. Eleven HaZamir alumni are now conductors or coordinators of their own HaZamir chapters.
“Providing a high-quality, structured program, HaZamir’s unique experience helps foster a lifelong commitment to Jewish culture and music in young people, and builds a strong foundation for future Jewish involvement among its participants,” adds Lazar.
HaZamir teens study Jewish text and history, grow as leaders, cultivate a deep connection to Israel, and create enduring ties that transcend geographic, political, social and denominational differences.
The HaZamir choir is composed of teenagers in grades nine through 12, featuring ensembles that rehearse all year long in 10 Israeli cities and 26 American chapter locations, including Bergen County, Central New Jersey, Manhattan, MetroWest, New Haven, Westchester County and more.
The gala performance will combine music, Judaism, community and spirituality in a powerful blend. The concert will include music that celebrates 30 years of HaZamir and commemorates the important milestone of the 75th anniversary of the State of Israel. A variety of musical styles will be featured, including popular music, classic Israeli and Jewish American selections in English and Hebrew, as well as an uplifting gospel-style song. Two new classical music commissions, written specifically for HaZamir, will be premiered. Three decades of singers who have participated in this choral experience will reunite as alumni performers in a special concert finale.
Tickets are available online at HaZamir Gala 2023 | Jazz at Lincoln Center or by calling CenterCharge at 212-721- 6500, or in person at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office at Broadway and 60th St. For additional information visit www.hazamir.org
By Liz Ammirato
