In memory of TABC 9th grader Eyal Kinderlehrer’s grandfather, a group of TABC music students, under the direction of their music teacher, created and just released a single called ‘Dor L’Dor.’ The project was part of TABC’s new music production program, Studio 1600. ‘Dor L’Dor’ is the first of ten tracks to be released for Studio 1600’s first-ever album, which features three covers and seven original songs, the latter of which were written together by TABC students and Jacob Spadaro, the director of the TABC Music Conservatory. While some of the students participating in Studio 1600 have a musical background, others, like Eyal, hadn’t had previous training but found great joy in the experience.
‘Dor L’Dor’s’ inspiration came from Eyal’s late grandfather, Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Glick, z”l, who passed away this year. “We had [these] pesukim in davening,” Eyal explained, “and I wanted to focus on them more for him…that was ‘dor l’dor,’ that line in Ashrei, where you remember each generation and will pass on their energy. So, when Mr. Spadaro asked us what we wanted to write a song about, I chose these lyrics because of him, because we’re passing down these qualities.” Spadaro elaborated that the pesukim were chosen from that section of davening because Rabbi Glick, z”l, was “someone who always looked for the good in everything, that his many descendants…will carry on his legacy by emulating those qualities.”
‘Dor L’Dor’ is the result of a collaboration of students who did not come into TABC’s music program with previous musical experience; Spadaro pointed out that none of the five singers on the track—Eyal, Noam Becker, Yakir Adams, Netanel Houpt, and Avi Schneck—came in as “confident singers or musicians,” but through the shared vulnerability and companionship of working on music together, the students were able to create an original and deeply meaningful track. “There’s something about stepping into the recording booth…putting on a pair of headphones and singing into the mic,” Spadaro explained. “There’s real magic that happens there, and it’s such a pleasure and privilege to guide students through that transformation.”
“Making a song like this really pushed everybody out of their comfort zones in a positive way, and allowed the kids to make something they can really be proud of,” Spadaro said. “ The most inspiring thing for me to see in the studio is that kind of collaboration, and you have that sprinkled throughout the album, as well.” Spadaro elucidated that the intention is for TABC to continue producing new musical content each year, and that the rest of Studio 1600’s first album will soon be released on all streaming platforms. “If a student is artistically inclined, they can genuinely see their music come to life in a very real and practical way.”
Eyal said he always enjoyed listening to music but had never realized he had a passion for creating it until this year. He expressed a desire to make more music in the future, sharing that it takes him into a “different zone.” “It’s fun to have a song with my friends, to have a song on Spotify when you’re just 15, and that you did that with your friends,” he elaborated. “There’s so much going on behind [making the song], not just recording it and putting it in…it’s really cool to see that.”
You can find ‘Dor L’Dor’ on Spotify at https://tinyurl.com/4ajwh976 and Apple Music at https://tinyurl.com/ytcsp3uz and on Youtube at: https://tinyurl.com/e4r2uuyz
By Brooke Schwartz
