Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Renowned cantor to visit community

A celebration of Jewish music and tradition


By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

Cantor Ida Rae Cahana

The Wood River Jewish Community will host Cantor Ida Rae Cahana, 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Ketchum during regular Sabbath worship services.

Cahana, a nationally known cantor, served at the Central Synagogue, in New York City, from 2002 to 2006.  She has also been cantor and scholar-in-residence for synagogues throughout the U.S., including Emanuel in Dallas and Beth-El in Providence, R.I.

The cantor is the musical leader of the synagogue and for centuries was traditionally a man. In 1975, the Hebrew Union College--School of Sacred Music in New York invested the first female cantor. Since then the number of female cantors has soared.

A graduate of Carnegie-Mellon University, she earned cantorial investiture and a master's degree in Sacred Music from Hebrew Union College--Jewish Institute of Religion, where she also taught. Cahana also holds master's from New England Conservatory of Music.

She appeared on Broadway and in concert at Lincoln Center's Merkin Concert Hall and Alice Tully Hall as well as the 92nd Street Y. Cahana is a soprano soloist on Transcontinental Music's five CD set of high holiday music, "Yamim Noraim."  Her work is included on the Milken Foundation's Archive of American Jewish Music recordings, and the "American Conference of Cantors at 50, A Celebration" CD.

A resident of Portland, Ore., her husband, Rabbi Michael Cahana, is the son of Alice Lok Cahana, a Holocaust survivor who was featured in Steven Speilberg's documentary "The Last Days."

"It is not often that we have the opportunity to present the range of Jewish music and quality of talent and spirit that Cantor Cahana brings with her," said Rabbi Sheila Goloboy, of the Wood River Jewish Community. "She is just par excellence in the national music community. It will be great liturgical music."

The service is open to everyone.

For more information, contact the Wood River Jewish Community at wrjc@wrjc.org or 726-1183.




 Local Weather 
Search archives:


Copyright © 2024 Express Publishing Inc.   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.