Cantor Chaim Stern (Photo courtesy of Beth Tzedec Congregation)
The Beth Tzedec Congregation presents From Jerusalem To Toronto: A Symphonic Journey. The gala concert takes place on June 2 and features a 28 piece orchestral ensemble made up of someo f Toronto’s finest classical musicians conducted by Tomer Adaddi.
Beth Tzedec’s Senior Cantor Chaim Stern is a featured performer, along with special guests Cantor Rachel Brook of Anshe Emet Synagogue (Chicago), and Cantor Gideo Zelermyer of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim (Montreal). The program features a mix of Cantorial traditional music, Broadway hits, and international classics.
The concert marks Cantor Stern’s first year as Beth Tzedec’s Hennick Family Senior Cantor, and his arrival. The event is a musical journey through Cantor Chaim Stern’s own story, from the melodies of Jerusalem to the sounds of Toronto.
Chaim Stern sings Dos Yiddishe Lied (Live in Budapest) | חיים שטרן – דאָס ייִדישע ליד
The Cantorial Tradition
The cantorial tradition involves using trained vocalists lead religious services, and to chant sacred texts. It sets prayers to melodic modes, and incorporates improvisation. In the Judaic tradition, it’s seen as a kind of bridge to the divine.
Classical chazzanut is the traditional art of cantorial singing, which blends European operatic vocal technique and the liturgical music modes. The golden era of this type of traditional singing is generally considered to be the early 20th century, which saw cantors becoming global music stars. Performances incorporated virtuosic coloratura techniques alongside the spiritual elements of the art.
Cantor Chaim Stern
Cantor Chaim Stern was born into Jerusalem into a multigenerational cantorial family. He developed a passion for cantorial music from an early age, and studied at the Petah Tikvah Cantorial School.
A tenor, Stern developed a style that blends the time honoured classical chazzanut tradition with contemporary Jewish music. His repertoire includes traditional cantorial music, Jewish soul music, Hasidic and Klezmer traditions, Israeli song and operatic literature.
Cantor Stern has performed in major synagogues and concert halls across Israel, Europe, Australia, and North America. He has appeared with leading orchestras such as the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Rishon LeZion Symphony Orchestra, the Ra’anana Symphonette, the Israeli Chamber Orchestra, the Jerusalem Camerata, the MÁV Symphony Orchestra in Budapest, the Amsterdam Jewish Chamber Ensemble, and the Munich Jewish Chamber Orchestra.
Cantor Stern has performed in prominent venues that include the Tel Aviv Culture Hall, the Jerusalem Theater, the Concertgebouw and Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam, the Prinzregententheater in Munich and the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall in Budapest.
He served as Chief Cantor of the Great Synagogue of Munich from 2020 to 2025.
Tomer Adaddi
Multiple-award-winning composer and conductor Tomer Adaddi has performed and collaborated with global superstars Andrea Bocelli, Il Volo and Michael Buble. He has served as guest conductor of The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony, Mineria Symphony in Mexico and Israeli Chamber Orchestra.
Adaddi has written hit songs for a number of acclaimed Israeli singers, and composed the music for several films, and his song Milim was chosen to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2010. He has also released albums of his own music, including his 2022 project Duet with the Composer, which saw him take on the role of vocalits as well.
Tomer has also co-produced concerts and groups, including soprano Kol Esperanza, and the Israeli tenors.
Concert Details
- Find tickets and concert details for From Jerusalem To Toronto [HERE].
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