Opening session: “Kol Nidre’s Synchronizations: The Intersection of Music, Text and Performance”

Presentations by Mark Kligman and Ruthie Abeliovich, with Ruth Langer as discussant

This opening session will provide a background on Kol Nidre’s liturgical usage and its compelling history over hundreds of years. From the early days of cantorial manuscripts, printed editions of synagogue music 78 rpms recordings of hazzanut there are many representations of Kol Nidre. During this same time period this emotional prayer became a recurring subject in the theatre and popular culture providing a rich interconnection of synagogue rituals and theatrical performances.

This event is made possible by the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and is part of the DYBBUK project at the University of Haifa, that has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 948150). It is co-sponsored by the UCLA Alan D. Leve Center for Jewish Studies. Additional support is provided by The International Forum for Jewish Music Studies, Cantors Assembly, European Cantors Association, Jewish Music Forum and the UCLA Center for the Study of Religion.