How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, Practice, Practice -- and Join HaZamir International Jewish Teen Choir
HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir, with members in 27 U.S. chapters plus 10 cities in Israel, will begin rehearsals this month. Next spring, hundreds of these young singers will gather together for a 3-day Festival, culminating in a gala performance at Carnegie Hall in New York on April 7. Teens are encouraged to join their local chapter for a rewarding experience of music, culture, leadership, and friendship.
HaZamir was created in 1993 by Maestro Matthew Lazar of Zamir Choral Foundation as a platform for talented Jewish teens to sing great Jewish music at the highest standard of excellence. For 30 years, HaZamir has served as a training ground for a new generation of singers, conductors, composers, and leaders, 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,” says Matthew Lazar.
“This is a life-changing opportunity for these teens, as they express their Jewish identities through their love of music while building strong connections to peers from a range of cultural and economic backgrounds and levels of religious observance,” says Vivian Lazar, the Director of HaZamir. “HaZamir teens perform on the world’s biggest stages, boosting self-esteem and allowing them to achieve great success.”
The International HaZamir choir is comprised of teenagers in grades 9-12 in Israeli cities including Ashkelon, Beit She’An, Dimona, Gan Yavneh, Hod HaSharon, Jerusalem, Karmiel-Misgav, Ofakim-Merchavim, Tirat HaCarmel and Yerucham; and American chapter locations in Atlanta, Baltimore, Bergen County NJ, Boca Raton, Boston, Brooklyn, Central New Jersey, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, Long Island, Manhattan, MetroWest NJ, Miami, Minneapolis, New Haven, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Silicon Valley CA, South New Jersey, Washington, DC and Westchester County.
HaZamir alumnus JP sums up the unique benefits of the HaZamir experience: “HaZamir taught me invaluable lessons about unity, the power of the collective, Judaism, leadership, and friendship. As I look back on this experience, the many memories, while all exciting and different, share a common denominator: HaZamir brings out the best in everyone.”
For additional information on HaZamir, email hazamir@zamirchoralfoundation.org or visit www.hazamir.org