B i o g r a p h y
B i o g r a p h y
B i o g r a p h y
Joshua R. Jacobson holds a Bachelors degree in Music from Harvard College, a Masters in Choral Conducting from the New England Conservatory, a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Cincinnati, and a Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa from Hebrew College. Before retiring in 2018, Dr. Jacobson served 45 years as Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Northeastern University, including nine years as Music Department Chairman and six years as the Bernard Stotsky Professor of Jewish Cultural Studies. He is also Visiting Professor and Senior Consultant in the School of Jewish Music at Hebrew College. He is also the founder and director of the Zamir Chorale of Boston, a world-renowned ensemble, specializing in Hebrew music. He has conducted workshops on choral music for various groups, including the American Choral Directors Association, and has guest conducted a number of ensembles, including the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Bulgarian National Symphony and Chorus, the New England Conservatory Orchestra and the Boston Lyric Opera Company. He has also written articles on various aspects of choral music, and over one hundred published compositions and arrangements. In 1989 he spent four weeks in Yugoslavia as a Distinguished Professor under the auspices of the Fulbright program. In 1994 Hebrew College awarded him the Benjamin Shevach Award for Distinguished Achievement in Jewish Educational Leadership, in 2004 the Cantors Assembly presented him with its prestigious “Kavod Award,” in 2016 Choral Arts New England presented him the Alfred Nash Patterson Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2018 Chorus America selected him for its Distinguished Service Award. Prof. Jacobson is past President of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. He is the conductor and host of the PBS film, Zamir: Jewish Voices Return to Poland. His book, Chanting the Hebrew Bible: The Art of Cantillation, published by the Jewish Publication Society in 2002, was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. He is co-author of Translations and Annotations of Choral Repertoire—Volume IV: Hebrew Texts, published by earthsongs in 2009.
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Prof. Jacobson’s articles have appeared in The Choral Journal, the American Choral Review, The Journal of Synagogue Music, Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity, Encyclopedia Judaica, Studies in Jewish Civilization, Yale University Institute of Sacred Music Colloquium, The Musical Quarterly, and others. His compositions, arrangements and editions have been performed by ACDA honors choirs, by the Boston Pops and Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and by the St. Olaf College Choirs, among others. His music is published by Transcontinental, ECS, Broude Brothers and Earthsongs. He has guest lectured at Harvard, Brandeis, Yale, and many other schools. In addition to his specialization in Jewish music, he has conducted many of the standard choral-orchestral masterworks, including Bach’s Johannespassion, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mozart’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Poulenc’s Gloria, Schubert’s Mass in E-flat, Thompson’s A Peaceable Kingdom. He has also prepared Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for Daniel Barenboim and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Mahler's Second Symphony for Zubin Mehta and the I. P. O., Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms for Gary Bertini and the Jerusalem Symphony, Schoenberg’s A Survivor from Warsaw for Piero Bellugi and the New England Conservatory Orchestra. In 2011 Jacobson launched "Middle Eastern Harmonies," a program bringing together on stage Jewish and Arab music and musicians. He has performed the program for diverse audiences throughout New England.
Here are excerpts from some press reviews. Richard Dyer wrote in the Boston Globe (June11, 2002) “Jacobson has a gift for programming that is instructive and entertaining, and more often than not, the Zamir Chorale performs works that music lovers would be unlikely to hear anyplace else.” Philip Greenfield in the American Record Guide (March/April, 2002), “The Zamir Chorale of Boston has become America’s foremost Jewish choral ensemble.” Kevin Gabriel in The Worcester Telegram and Gazette (March 25, 1996), “Jacobson led polished performances that emphasized clarity and balance. And the chorale’s professionalism was everywhere evident, particlularly in its unflagging attention to detail.”
Joshua R. Jacobson holds a Bachelors degree in Music from Harvard College, a Masters in Choral Conducting from the New England Conservatory, a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Cincinnati, and a Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa from Hebrew College. Before retiring in 2018, Dr. Jacobson served 45 years as Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Northeastern University, including nine years as Music Department Chairman and six years as the Bernard Stotsky Professor of Jewish Cultural Studies. He is also Visiting Professor and Senior Consultant in the School of Jewish Music at Hebrew College. He is also the founder and director of the Zamir Chorale of Boston, a world-renowned ensemble, specializing in Hebrew music. He has conducted workshops on choral music for various groups, including the American Choral Directors Association, and has guest conducted a number of ensembles, including the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Bulgarian National Symphony and Chorus, the New England Conservatory Orchestra and the Boston Lyric Opera Company. He has also written articles on various aspects of choral music, and over one hundred published compositions and arrangements. In 1989 he spent four weeks in Yugoslavia as a Distinguished Professor under the auspices of the Fulbright program. In 1994 Hebrew College awarded him the Benjamin Shevach Award for Distinguished Achievement in Jewish Educational Leadership, in 2004 the Cantors Assembly presented him with its prestigious “Kavod Award,” in 2016 Choral Arts New England presented him the Alfred Nash Patterson Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2018 Chorus America selected him for its Distinguished Service Award. Prof. Jacobson is past President of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. He is the conductor and host of the PBS film, Zamir: Jewish Voices Return to Poland. His book, Chanting the Hebrew Bible: The Art of Cantillation, published by the Jewish Publication Society in 2002, was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. He is co-author of Translations and Annotations of Choral Repertoire—Volume IV: Hebrew Texts, published by earthsongs in 2009.
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Prof. Jacobson’s articles have appeared in The Choral Journal, the American Choral Review, The Journal of Synagogue Music, Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity, Encyclopedia Judaica, Studies in Jewish Civilization, Yale University Institute of Sacred Music Colloquium, The Musical Quarterly, and others. His compositions, arrangements and editions have been performed by ACDA honors choirs, by the Boston Pops and Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and by the St. Olaf College Choirs, among others. His music is published by Transcontinental, ECS, Broude Brothers and Earthsongs. He has guest lectured at Harvard, Brandeis, Yale, and many other schools. In addition to his specialization in Jewish music, he has conducted many of the standard choral-orchestral masterworks, including Bach’s Johannespassion, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mozart’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Poulenc’s Gloria, Schubert’s Mass in E-flat, Thompson’s A Peaceable Kingdom. He has also prepared Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for Daniel Barenboim and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Mahler's Second Symphony for Zubin Mehta and the I. P. O., Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms for Gary Bertini and the Jerusalem Symphony, Schoenberg’s A Survivor from Warsaw for Piero Bellugi and the New England Conservatory Orchestra. In 2011 Jacobson launched "Middle Eastern Harmonies," a program bringing together on stage Jewish and Arab music and musicians. He has performed the program for diverse audiences throughout New England.
Here are excerpts from some press reviews. Richard Dyer wrote in the Boston Globe (June11, 2002) “Jacobson has a gift for programming that is instructive and entertaining, and more often than not, the Zamir Chorale performs works that music lovers would be unlikely to hear anyplace else.” Philip Greenfield in the American Record Guide (March/April, 2002), “The Zamir Chorale of Boston has become America’s foremost Jewish choral ensemble.” Kevin Gabriel in The Worcester Telegram and Gazette (March 25, 1996), “Jacobson led polished performances that emphasized clarity and balance. And the chorale’s professionalism was everywhere evident, particlularly in its unflagging attention to detail.”
Joshua R. Jacobson holds a Bachelors degree in Music from Harvard College, a Masters in Choral Conducting from the New England Conservatory, a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Cincinnati, and a Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa from Hebrew College. Before retiring in 2018, Dr. Jacobson served 45 years as Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Northeastern University, including nine years as Music Department Chairman and six years as the Bernard Stotsky Professor of Jewish Cultural Studies. He is also Visiting Professor and Senior Consultant in the School of Jewish Music at Hebrew College. He is also the founder and director of the Zamir Chorale of Boston, a world-renowned ensemble, specializing in Hebrew music. He has conducted workshops on choral music for various groups, including the American Choral Directors Association, and has guest conducted a number of ensembles, including the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Bulgarian National Symphony and Chorus, the New England Conservatory Orchestra and the Boston Lyric Opera Company. He has also written articles on various aspects of choral music, and over one hundred published compositions and arrangements. In 1989 he spent four weeks in Yugoslavia as a Distinguished Professor under the auspices of the Fulbright program. In 1994 Hebrew College awarded him the Benjamin Shevach Award for Distinguished Achievement in Jewish Educational Leadership, in 2004 the Cantors Assembly presented him with its prestigious “Kavod Award,” in 2016 Choral Arts New England presented him the Alfred Nash Patterson Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2018 Chorus America selected him for its Distinguished Service Award. Prof. Jacobson is past President of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. He is the conductor and host of the PBS film, Zamir: Jewish Voices Return to Poland. His book, Chanting the Hebrew Bible: The Art of Cantillation, published by the Jewish Publication Society in 2002, was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. He is co-author of Translations and Annotations of Choral Repertoire—Volume IV: Hebrew Texts, published by earthsongs in 2009.
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Prof. Jacobson’s articles have appeared in The Choral Journal, the American Choral Review, The Journal of Synagogue Music, Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity, Encyclopedia Judaica, Studies in Jewish Civilization, Yale University Institute of Sacred Music Colloquium, The Musical Quarterly, and others. His compositions, arrangements and editions have been performed by ACDA honors choirs, by the Boston Pops and Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and by the St. Olaf College Choirs, among others. His music is published by Transcontinental, ECS, Broude Brothers and Earthsongs. He has guest lectured at Harvard, Brandeis, Yale, and many other schools. In addition to his specialization in Jewish music, he has conducted many of the standard choral-orchestral masterworks, including Bach’s Johannespassion, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Mozart’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Poulenc’s Gloria, Schubert’s Mass in E-flat, Thompson’s A Peaceable Kingdom. He has also prepared Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for Daniel Barenboim and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Mahler's Second Symphony for Zubin Mehta and the I. P. O., Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms for Gary Bertini and the Jerusalem Symphony, Schoenberg’s A Survivor from Warsaw for Piero Bellugi and the New England Conservatory Orchestra. In 2011 Jacobson launched "Middle Eastern Harmonies," a program bringing together on stage Jewish and Arab music and musicians. He has performed the program for diverse audiences throughout New England.
Here are excerpts from some press reviews. Richard Dyer wrote in the Boston Globe (June11, 2002) “Jacobson has a gift for programming that is instructive and entertaining, and more often than not, the Zamir Chorale performs works that music lovers would be unlikely to hear anyplace else.” Philip Greenfield in the American Record Guide (March/April, 2002), “The Zamir Chorale of Boston has become America’s foremost Jewish choral ensemble.” Kevin Gabriel in The Worcester Telegram and Gazette (March 25, 1996), “Jacobson led polished performances that emphasized clarity and balance. And the chorale’s professionalism was everywhere evident, particlularly in its unflagging attention to detail.”
JOSHUA JACOBSON
presentations with powerpoint recordings, slides, video
Jewish Music and All That Jazz
We will examine the impact of American life on Jewish composers and the impact of Jews on American music. Using clips from the 1927 film, The Jazz Singer and recorded illustrations from America’s Jazz Age as touchstones for discussion, we will explore the conflict between being a Jew and being an American as played out in the musical arena.
Exploring the 1927 film, “The Jazz Singer”
Hollywood’s 1927 blockbuster was significant in many ways. It was the first feature-length film released with a synchronized soundtrack, marking the end of the silent film era. The story of this mainstream movie revolved around an Orthodox Jewish cantor and his family. But perhaps the thorniest issue deals with racism. We will explore some of the themes in this film, and then grapple with issues of cultural appropriation and cultural ownership.
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The Music of Zionism
One hundred years ago, Zionist pioneers created a new repertoire of songs, designed specifically to further their ideological goals. We will examine both lyrics and music of several songs from this period, to see how they reflected this ideology. We will also observe how, in recent years, the popular music of Israel has reflected the changing face of its population and its institutions.
Pushing the Button: Protest Songs in Israel
The nexus of music and politics in contemporary Israel
Since the beginnings of the Zionist project, more than 100 years ago, one of the greatest priorities was consensus. Jews needed to band together to combat anti-Semitism and forge a new nation. But in the late 1960s things began to change. Israelis felt more self-confident. Israel was opened up to the wider world, including the loud voices of American rock 'n' roll and the civil rights and peace movements. We will trace these developments as reflected in Israeli popular songs, beginning with the iconic "Shir La-shalom" and culminating in Israeli and Arab nationalist hip-hop, and the recent hits, “The Sticker Song” and "Push the Button."
Jerusalem in Popular Song
Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world. Jerusalem is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Jerusalem is one of the most fought-over cities in the world. Jerusalem is one of the most longed for cities in the world. It is no wonder that Jerusalem has been popularized in song, perhaps more than any other city in the world. In this lecture we will survey some of those songs, then turn our focus on two iconic songs, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav and Me’al Pisgat Har Ha-Tsofim, bringing to light some interesting and little-known facts.
American Jews and their Music
Acculturation is a dynamic two-way street. For Jewish immigrants in America (and their offspring), the arts and entertainment provided one of the few opportunities for employment without racial quotas. Throughout the twentieth century, Jews played a major role in American music, quite disproportionate to their demographic share. At the same time, the Jews’ own music was radically transformed through exposure to American popular culture. We will explore the characteristic traits of American culture and its music, and see how they began to color Jewish music—liturgical, folk, popular and “classical.” We will also look at characteristics of traditional Jewish music and see its effect on the mainstream music of this country.
The Hidden Roots of American Synagogue Melodies
This lecture may surprise you! We will examine the music sung in modern American synagogues, and attempt to determine where this music came from. Many of the melodies that we assume are traditional "from Sinai" are not older than a century or so, while others hark all the way back to the ancient Near East. We will examine non-Jewish sources as well as Jewish sources from America, Germany, Austria, England and Russia. Illustrated with slides and recordings.
Music in the Holocaust
For Jews trapped in Nazi-occupied Europe music represented a spiritual escape from their physical pain as well as a means of expressing the anguish of their situation. This illustrated lecture will investigate the music that was composed and sung by Jews during the Holocaust. Included will be films of the musicians in the Terezin concentration camp and recordings of songs which expressed the sentiments of Jews in the face of the Nazi campaign of genocide.
Tsen Brider: A Russian-Jewish Folksong Becomes a Concentration Camp Requiem
We will examine several variants of an old folksong about the ten brothers who disappear, one by one. We will also compare it with a light-hearted parody created in the 1930s by the American entrepreneur Joseph Green for a Yiddish musical comedy called, Yidl Mitn Fidl (Yidl with his Fiddle). Finally, we will reconstruct and analyze its transformation into a death-song created in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp by choral conductor Martin Rosenberg.
PBS Video — Zamir: Jewish Voices Return to Poland
One hundred years ago Jewish culture flourished as never before in the major cities of Poland. In 1899 I.L. Peretz and others helped to establish a culture club in Lodz called, “Ha-Zomir,” which comprised poetry readings, a theater group, an orchestra, an what would become one of the finest choirs in all of Poland. In 1899 Prof. Jacobson took the Zamir Chorale of Boston on a tour to investigate the modern choir’s roots. We will watch the 57-minute PBS video of the Chorale’s trip and discuss the role of culture for the Jews of pre-war Poland, and its parallels to Jewish life today.
Music in the Time of the Bible
Music is mentioned quite often in the Bible. The ancient Israelites sang and played to accompany worship, but also for parades, parties, funerals, battles, coronations, and much more. To discover the nature of this music, we will investigate clues offered by the Bible and other ancient texts, archaeology and comparative musicology.
Sacred Bridges
In this lecture we will trace the common roots and the diverse routes of Christian and Jewish liturgical music. We will examine the Jewish roots of Gregorian chant. We will also discover which synagogue melodies may have been borrowed from the church. (Especially appropriate for an interfaith gathering.)
Who Wrote “Hava Nagila”?
An investigation into the origins of some of the most well-known Jewish melodies, including Hatikvah, Yigdal, Maoz Tsur, Shalom Aleykhem and Hava Nagila. (This lecture could also be appropriate for a Shabbat study session.)
Franz Schubert and the Vienna Synagogue.
In 1828 Schubert became the first great European composer to write a setting of the Jewish liturgy in Hebrew. We will listen to and analyze his setting of Tov LeHodos. We will also examine the nature of music in the Vienna synagogue at that time and try to figure out why Schubert came to write this work.
Salomon Sulzer, Cantor of the Enlightenment
The life and works of the charismatic nineteenth-century Viennese cantor who was responsible for much of today’s synagogue music. We will examine the historical and cultural milieu (Humanism, the Enlightenment, the Scientific Revolution, the French Revolution) that made his contribution possible. Illustrated with slides and music.
Salamone Rossi: Jewish Musician of the Renaissance
At the turn of the seventeenth century the Italian composer Salamone Rossi became the first Jew to compose and publish a collection of choral music for the synagogue. We will investigate the fascinating Jewish community in Renaissance Italy, worldly yet devout, that spawned this phenomenon. We will listen to Rossi’s extraordinary music and compare it with both normative synagogue music of his time and place, and the secular and sacred music of Christian Italy.
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Leonard Bernstein – The Jewish Side
Leonard Bernstein took the musical world by storm with his spectacular last-minute, a-star-is-born conducting turn at the New York Philharmonic in 1943, filling in for the ailing Bruno Walter. Until his passing in 1990, he was astonishingly active as a conductor, composer (in both classical and popular idioms), pianist, and teacher. And Bernstein was a devoted Jew throughout his life. We will explore Bernstein’s Judaism and how it was manifest in his musical output.