Cantor Jerome B. Kopmar

Jerome B. Kopmar, who served as cantor of Beth Abraham Synagogue from 1969-1996, will present a recital at the synagogue on Sunday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature works by Brahms, Handel, Schubert, Schumann and Verdi.

“I’m also doing three of my own pieces, based on the Shabbat liturgy,” he says. One will be a duet with Beth Abraham’s current cantor, Andrea Raizen, who studies voice with Kopmar.

“Anybody who is a cantor in this city, I’ve taught,” he says.

Along with Raizen, the 16 students in Kopmar’s private studio include Temple Israel Sh’liach Tzibbur (prayer leader) Alan Halpern and Temple Beth Or’s Cantor Joyce Dumtschin.

“I prepared Joyce for the cantorate,” he says, “to take the musical aspects of her exams.”

In addition to teaching voice, Kopmar, 72, continues to compose. For Raizen, he wrote a setting of the Misheberach, which she sang at the dedication of Beth Abraham’s new home in Oakwood.

“I just wrote a piece for Joyce Dumtschin, which she’s going to premiere at her 20th anniversary concert in March at Temple Beth Or,” he adds.

“But of all the things I’ve done in my career, teaching has given me the greatest joy. There’s a certain feeling you cannot get any other way.”

The recital is free and open to the public. For more information, call 293-9520.

— Marshall Weiss