Yes, Virginia, there is more music out there celebrating the Festival of Lights than simply Adam Sandler’s “The Chanukah Song.”
On Monday morning, Dec. 11, a sextet from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra dropped by the Hoffberger Chapel at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation to drive that point home at a special Chanukah concert for preschoolers. There were instrument demonstrations as well as the performing of traditional Chanukah songs.
Performers included violinist Allison Taylor, Jacob Shack on viola, clarinetist Vitor Trindade, bassoon player Schuyler Jackson, oboist Michael Lisicky and BSO bassist Jonathan Jensen on accordion.
Among the musical selections were Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah,” “Ma’oz Tzur‘” (“Rock of Ages”), “I Have a Little Dreidel” (aka, “The Dreidel Song” or “Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel”) and the iconic Israeli spinning top tune “Sivivon, Sov, Sov, Sov.”
In addition, Trindade and Jensen dazzled young listeners with a little joyful klezmer music. Joining the sextet was BHC’s Cantor Ben Ellerin.
“The folks at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, especially Cantor Ben, couldn’t have been more accommodating,” raved Lisicky. “It was nice for this sextet of Baltimore Symphony musicians to go out to Pikesville and share some Chanukah tunes. All in all it was pretty fun, and a good group of kids.”
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