AJ Music Fest Features Modern American Music by Zina Goldrich

Adath Jeshurun will present Zina Goldrich for the 2014 Music Festival, Thoroughly Modern American Musical Melodies, on Thursday, March 20, at 7 p.m.

Every few months, I put on a program for the various nursing homes in town. Sometimes I play guitar and sometimes piano. Sometimes I teach about a holiday and sometimes I do a purely entertainment-based Broadway program. At one of these events, a nonagenarian said to me, “Cantor, why don’t you play some more modern music?”

Well, at this, the 20th Music Festivals since I came to Louisville, I will meet her demand in full. Every single song performed will be contemporary and written by one very talented, living composer. In fact, this will be the first Music Festival in which I present the original creative work of only one composer/performer.

As the musical partner of a modern and budding female Rogers and Hammerstein duo, Zina Goldrich along with lyricist Marcy Heisler has produced two songbooks of engaging, funny, poignant music that most of us in Louisville haven’t heard yet. One of her best-known melodies, thanks to Kristin Chenoweth who sang it on the Rosie O’Donnell Show and the Craig Ferguson Show, is Taylor, the Latte Boy. If you want a taste of Zina’s work, search for it on your computer and have a listen.

She’s won awards for excellence in songwriting and is currently working on the musical Ever After, based on the film starring Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston and aiming for a Broadway Spring 2015 opening. Her music has been directed by Julie Andrews, commissioned for the Radio City Rockettes, sung by Audra McDonald, performed Off-Broadway, at Lincoln Center and on Television. An accomplished pianist, she has played and conducted on Broadway for Avenue Q, Oklahoma and Titanic.

In writing for Broadway, Zina has also tried her hand at some liturgical music, so you’ll get to hear an Ein Keloheinu and Adon Olam. We may ask you to sing along with a new Sim Shalom as well.

I look forward to sharing her talents with my colleague Cantor Sharon Hordes, Junior and Adult community choirs and the rest of the Louisville community. The 2014 Music Festival is endowed by the Adolf and Sara van der Walde and Israel Rosenbloum Charitable Fund.

Advance tickets for adults are $12.50, adults and seniors $10. At the door, tickets are $15.

For sponsorship opportunities, go to www.adathjeshurun.com/musicfestival, email mevancho@adathjeshurun.com or call 458-5359 and ask for Molly. A dessert reception will follow.

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