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Judaism theme of Hillel musical competition
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By: DOUGLAS J. GUTH Senior Staff Reporter
Dressed in a suit and deftly playing his cello, Cleveland Institute of Music student David Requiro is the picture of concentration. His body seems to sway to the somber, spiritual sound of Swiss composer Ernest Bloch's "Nigun."
Requiro's intensity was matched by 19 other students competing in Cleveland Hillel's Louis E. Emsheimer Memorial Musical Competition, held Feb. 27 at the Cleveland Hillel Jewish Student Center. Competitors were from CIM, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, and Oberlin College Conservatory of Music.
Students performed in both individual and ensemble categories. Each performance had a Jewish theme or was written by a Jewish composer; the contest itself was open to both Jews and non-Jews. Performances were judged by music professors from CIM and Oberlin. Requiro, who is Jewish, was a double winner.
The cellist's extroverted interpretation of "Nigun," accompanied by piano, won him first prize ($1,000) in the individual competition. In the ensemble competition, Requiro's Kashii String Quartet, comprised of three other CIM students including his brother Aaron, earned top honors (and another $1,200) with its version of Darius Mihaud's "String Quartet No. 7."
Each individual or ensemble had ten minutes to distinguish itself. Requiro, a native of Oakland, Calif., who began playing cello when he was 6, was one of three students who played "Nigun." The piece, he explains, "depicts the spiritual and religious elements" and deep emotional feeling behind the Jewish act of atonement.
The idea, Requiro adds, was to create a "dialogue" between his cello and the accompanying piano. He also used different sound qualities, or "colors," to add variety to the piece.
Another CIM cellist, 19-year-old Adi Tal, split second prize with fellow CIM student Sonja Harasim. Tal's was a solo performance of another Bloch composition, "Schelomo Hebraic Rhapsody." The Israeli, in her second year at CIM, chose the piece for its "Jewish soul," she says. "The music brings passion; you can't put emotion into it if you don't really feel it."
Classical guitarist Christopher Riggs is not Jewish, but he has always enjoyed the work of American Jewish composer Richard Wernick, he says. The Oberlin student, 20, finished in third place for his performance of the Wernick piece, "Da'ase."
Riggs has been playing the piece for several years, although never competitively. Taking the time to analyze "Da'ase," which is based on a Yemenite dance song, "was a good learning experience," remarks the young guitarist.
Marcia Bloomberg, executive director of Cleveland Hillel, is glad to hear it. One of the program's goals was to expose college students of all faiths to Jewish culture and traditions through music, she explains. All the students "put their heart into the competition."
This can be said for both winners and non-winners. Soprano saxophone player Samantha Yarbrough came to Hillel with her jazz ensemble Band of Milk and Honey. The Oberlin-based musical group fuses jazz with traditional Israeli music.
Few jazz pieces reflect Jewish culture, so Yarbrough wrote one herself. The 23-year-old Flagstaff, Ariz., native has studied in the Jewish state and writes compositions "that remind me of Israel," she says.
"Kol Nidre," a more traditional Jewish piece, was played by Case student Nadav Weinberg of Shaker Heights. Weinberg attempted to transfer "the most heartfelt prayer in Judaism," which begins the Yom Kippur service, to his cello.
Weinberg was not completely satisfied with the result this night, but he's happy to have played his favorite Jewish composition for an audience. "To me, 'Kol Nidre' is symbolic of what Judaism is," he says.
Requiro's intensity was matched by 19 other students competing in Cleveland Hillel's Louis E. Emsheimer Memorial Musical Competition, held Feb. 27 at the Cleveland Hillel Jewish Student Center. Competitors were from CIM, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, and Oberlin College Conservatory of Music.
Students performed in both individual and ensemble categories. Each performance had a Jewish theme or was written by a Jewish composer; the contest itself was open to both Jews and non-Jews. Performances were judged by music professors from CIM and Oberlin. Requiro, who is Jewish, was a double winner.
The cellist's extroverted interpretation of "Nigun," accompanied by piano, won him first prize ($1,000) in the individual competition. In the ensemble competition, Requiro's Kashii String Quartet, comprised of three other CIM students including his brother Aaron, earned top honors (and another $1,200) with its version of Darius Mihaud's "String Quartet No. 7."
Each individual or ensemble had ten minutes to distinguish itself. Requiro, a native of Oakland, Calif., who began playing cello when he was 6, was one of three students who played "Nigun." The piece, he explains, "depicts the spiritual and religious elements" and deep emotional feeling behind the Jewish act of atonement.
The idea, Requiro adds, was to create a "dialogue" between his cello and the accompanying piano. He also used different sound qualities, or "colors," to add variety to the piece.
Another CIM cellist, 19-year-old Adi Tal, split second prize with fellow CIM student Sonja Harasim. Tal's was a solo performance of another Bloch composition, "Schelomo Hebraic Rhapsody." The Israeli, in her second year at CIM, chose the piece for its "Jewish soul," she says. "The music brings passion; you can't put emotion into it if you don't really feel it."
Classical guitarist Christopher Riggs is not Jewish, but he has always enjoyed the work of American Jewish composer Richard Wernick, he says. The Oberlin student, 20, finished in third place for his performance of the Wernick piece, "Da'ase."
Riggs has been playing the piece for several years, although never competitively. Taking the time to analyze "Da'ase," which is based on a Yemenite dance song, "was a good learning experience," remarks the young guitarist.
Marcia Bloomberg, executive director of Cleveland Hillel, is glad to hear it. One of the program's goals was to expose college students of all faiths to Jewish culture and traditions through music, she explains. All the students "put their heart into the competition."
This can be said for both winners and non-winners. Soprano saxophone player Samantha Yarbrough came to Hillel with her jazz ensemble Band of Milk and Honey. The Oberlin-based musical group fuses jazz with traditional Israeli music.
Few jazz pieces reflect Jewish culture, so Yarbrough wrote one herself. The 23-year-old Flagstaff, Ariz., native has studied in the Jewish state and writes compositions "that remind me of Israel," she says.
"Kol Nidre," a more traditional Jewish piece, was played by Case student Nadav Weinberg of Shaker Heights. Weinberg attempted to transfer "the most heartfelt prayer in Judaism," which begins the Yom Kippur service, to his cello.
Weinberg was not completely satisfied with the result this night, but he's happy to have played his favorite Jewish composition for an audience. "To me, 'Kol Nidre' is symbolic of what Judaism is," he says.
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