Date/Time
Date(s) - May 6, 2023
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Location
Old Dutch Church
Categories
Classical guitarist and composer Bonnie Robiczek Meadow and mezzo-soprano Judith Kerman, both of Woodstock, will present a concert of songs from the Sephardic tradition at the the Old Dutch Church, 272 Wall Street, Kingston, NY on May 6, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. $20 donation at the door.
This program includes a sampling of love songs, lullabies, and songs from the Sephardic religious tradition, both popular and liturgical. Sung in Ladino, the language of Middle Eastern and South European Jews, the songs are notable for beautiful melodies, often with a Spanish or Middle-Eastern flavor, and poetic lyrics, including Biblical and romantic themes, that suggest the everyday life of the Sephardic community. All-new guitar arrangements for the program were composed by Meadow.
Sephardic Jews descended from the Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal during the Inquisition. While most American Jews descend from Yiddish-speaking Eastern European immigrants, Sephardic Jews settled in the countries around the Mediterranean. They inherited a variant of Spanish called Ladino or Judeo-Español, which included Arabic, Hebrew and other elements.
Bonnie Robiczek Meadow studied music at the School of Performing Arts in NYC, Hofstra University, and in France and Spain. Her career in music has included composition and performances for theatrical productions, choirs, and worship services. As a songwriter, Meadow worked with the Sage Arts organization to create five original songs to celebrate the lives of five elders including Holocaust survivors. Her CD, “In the Middle of Life,” contains 13 of her original songs and her duet for two baroque lutes was published by Tree Editions. Meadow performs on guitar, lute, banjo and sometimes on piano and other instruments. She performs with a Klezmer band (on banjo) and an activist street band (on French Horn!), and is the director of the Woodstock Jewish Congregation Choir.
Mezzo-soprano Judith Kerman researched and refined the lyrics for this program. She has sung in Phoenicia Festival of the Voice choruses including “Carmen,” “Pagliacci” and “Tosca.” A well-known poet, Kerman has published multiple books of poetry and Spanish translations. As a classical singer, Kerman has studied with Danielle Woerner and Maria Todaro. She has given solo recitals in Woodstock and Manhattan with pianist Douglas Martin and bassist Allen Murphy, and performed in the early music consorts of Saginaw Valley State University, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and Kent State University; the Midland (Michigan) Chorale and Camerata; and in the second US performance of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem (Rochester Oratorio Society/Bach Festival Choir).