First 200 KSC Students Can See “Inspired by Kaddish” Free
From Bill Menezes, Redfern: Thanks to a generous KSC Pepsi Grant, the first 200 Keene State students who request student tickets can attend the Inspired by Kaddish: A Celebration of the Arts performance for free on Saturday, November 1, at 7:30 p.m. at the Redfern Arts Center. The performance will showcase the talents of area musicians and singers and Keene State College faculty and students.
Inspired by the stunning debut last spring of composer Lawrence Siegel’s Kaddish, the artists will unite their talents to create a celebration of the arts at Keene State. Excerpts from Inspired by Kaddish will be played by a chamber orchestra and sung by a choir and soloists, and the music will be enhanced by original dance works and special readings from the original score throughout the evening.
Like its inspiration, the November 1 performance, through the words and memories of victims, survivors, and bystanders, creates a series of musical and spoken vignettes of the Holocaust. However, the production is not only about the past, but also about exploring our humanity and responding ethically to intolerance and injustice today. It culminates in a message of hope and peace that extends beyond the lines of religion, race, and ethnic background.
The artistic director of Inspired by Kaddish is KSC theatre and dance professor Marcia Murdock. Murdock has also created new dances for 12 KSC dance students to enhance the music.
Professor of music Elaine Broad Ginsberg, who conducted the choir for the premiere of Kaddish, will conduct the 14-piece chamber orchestra, the 32-voice KSC Chamber Singers, and the eight members of the community chorus who performed in the premiere.
The performance will also feature four soloists: Keene State music professors Diane Cushing (soprano) and Pamela Stevens (mezzo-soprano), who performed in the premiere. Baritone David Ripley, who appeared in the original production, is widely known for his oratorio, recital, chamber opera, and early and contemporary music programs. The tenor is KSC music major Mike Cassese.
The performance is made possible by the generous support of the offices of the KSC Provost and the Dean of Arts and Humanities and the Redfern Arts Center on Brickyard Pond. KSC students will need to show a valid 2008 – 2009 ID at the box office to pick up a ticket.
