‘We welcome all male Jewish singers to participate’

During the High Holy Days of 2020, some shule choirs went online to record classic chazzanut works for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

These included the North Shore Synagogue choir (supplemented by choral friends from Central Synagogue) and the choir of Caulfield Shule.

These online recordings were warmly received by community members who were feeling the absence of the spirit of Yom Tov and the isolation of lockdown.

One of the Central Synagogue choristers who had participated in the North Shore recording was Ted Arnold, a lifelong shule chorister who for more than 30 years has been intermittently floating the idea of a Sydney-wide unaffiliated men’s chazzanut group.

Prior to the second COVID lockdown in Sydney in 2021, Arnold’s former North Shore and Central choirmaster Simon Singer suggested he could realise his dream by convening a Jewish male choir via Zoom coaching sessions directed towards YouTube recordings – the most COVID-safe way to prepare a group for possible recordings or future concerts.

Arnold then recruited Joseph Toltz and Sam Weiss, seasoned arrangers, composers and conductors in the synagogue choral tradition, as the new group’s musical directors.

The first project of the group, which now numbers about a dozen members, will be a one-day workshop where they will record some classic works, as well as a new composition by Weiss.

From there the group will gauge the interest and enthusiasm for the project, and eventually hopes to perform publicly as well as to continue to bring the old masters back to life via recordings.

“We welcome all male Jewish singers to participate, no matter your skill level or voice type, or level of observance,” they said.

“For skilled music readers, we ask that you learn your parts ahead of rehearsal/recording sessions. For those who cannot read music, we prepare recordings and organise Zoom practice sessions so that all singers can join in successfully.”

In future the group plans to offer choristers the opportunity to suggest pieces that they would like to sing and to offer solo parts to singers, including unaffiliated male chazzanim.

The Sydney Chazzanut Choir is inspired by the tradition of the Johannesburg Jewish Male Choir, formed 35 years ago by, among others, the now retired Central bass-baritone Bob Borowsky.

His infectious enthusiasm has in no small part kept alive the dream of a Sydney men’s chazzanut choir, a dream that is about to be realised, the group said.

The choir has thanked the North Shore Synagogue board for making available a recording venue for its maiden venture.

For more information about the men’s chazzanut choir, contact Ted Arnold at theobald55@yahoo.com or 0411 158 410.