Beth Jacob concert

Marshall Weiss

The Dayton Jewish Observer

The evening of Sunday, Aug. 13 will have special meaning for Beth Jacob Congregation’s Cantor Jason Green.

The cantor, who began his work with Beth Jacob in the spring of 2005, will present a concert of Jewish music alongside the mentors who most influenced his becoming a cantor.

Sharing the bima with Green will be Cantor Stephen Robins, currently of Woodside Park Synagogue in London. One of England’s most esteemed cantors, Robins is also the coordinator of prayer motif study with the London School of Jewish Studies.

He has appeared in concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, and he has frequently been seen and heard on BBC radio and television commercials.

Robins is Green’s cantorial teacher. “I conducted a professional choir that sang with him for eight years during High Holy Days in Montréal,” Green said. “I travelled to England about a dozen times to sing with him in concert.”

Robins developed his concert career with Stephen Glass, his accompanist, who has also served as Robins’ choir conductor.

Since 1991, Glass has been music director of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Montréal, where he established The Shaar Hashomayim A Cappella Male Choir.

Glass and the choir will also take part in the Beth Jacob concert.

Tourism Montréal magazine has described the choir as “the pride and joy of the Shaar…renowned all over Montréal — and beyond.”

When Green was 14, Glass trained him to conduct the choir.

“I became the youngest Jewish choral conductor in North America,” Green said. “I also became Stephen’s associate conductor at Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, Canada’s largest synagogue.”

For seven years, Robins also held a second post as cantor at Shaar Hashoma-yim for the High Holy Days.

“Stephen Glass, Cantor Robins and I have performed together in concert and during services on more than 25 occasions,” Green said. “These guest artists are my teachers, mentors, and closest friends.”

Joining the choir will be a male soprano who is a member of the San Francisco-based, Grammy Award-winning choral ensemble Chanticleer; and Seth Chalmer, the DJCC’s new cultural arts director.

The concert is sponsored by the Beth Jacob Sisterhood, the Lena Cantor Endowment for Cultural Programming, The Koenigsberg-Sahn Memorial Library, Bernstein’s Fine Catering, Furst Florist, Beth Jacob families and corporate sponsors.

Also performing on the program will be a chorus of local Jewish youths.

“They have learned several fun pieces of music and will sing with the male choir, with the cantors, and accompanied by Stephen Glass on piano,” Green said.

He added that there is still time for area youths to join the choir. “They can call me by Aug. 3rd to get a learning CD and the words.”

Works on the program will be presented in Hebrew, English, Yiddish and Italian, including “some hauntingly beautiful liturgical pieces,” he said.

“We’ll also have a surprise Adon Olam by an unlikely composer that will make you laugh out loud.”

Journey Through Jewish Music Concert: Sunday, Aug. 13, 7:30 p.m. at Beth Jacob Congregation, 7020 N. Main St. A Cham-pagne reception will follow the concert.  Tickets in advance: $25 reserved section, $15 general seating, $7 child (4-12 years). Tickets at the door: $30 reserved section, $20 general seating, $7 child. Group discounts and transportation for those in need are available. Call Cantor Jason Green at 274-2149 or go to www.bethjacobcong.org.