Join us as we begin the inaugural year for the David Posnack Jewish Community Center's Music Festival. Come celebrate through music the Jewish experience and explore what it means to be Jewish in a multicultural world. The Festival will highlight local musical talent in Broward County and present creative and entertaining programs open to the broader community.

 OPENING NIGHT

Mocha and Music - Coffeehouse
Sunday, February 17, 2013.
7:00 p.m.

Price: General Admission $20
Join us at the J Café for an evening of music by local Broward County musicians, tasty treats, specialty coffees and an enjoyable time to spend with friends. 

The lineup for the evening includes:
Jazz and Pop by the Temple Beth Emet Trio - Led by Michael Curtis with Ezo Hernandez and Steve Sloane, this trio of talented musicians performs regularly at Temple Beth Emet High School and shabbat services.

Jazz, Rock and Classical Styles with Jeff and Carol - Friends for some 30 years, Jeff Rittenberg and Carol Matz play instrumental acoustic guitars, putting their own spin on the "classic rock" genre. Rittenberg, an entrepreneur by day, plays for sheer enjoyment. Matz is an arranger and composer for Alfred Music Publishing and plays a variety of instruments. Together, they will play raw acoustic sounds of tunes you will enjoy. 

Folk Music with Ellen Bukstel - Ellen Bukstel has been recognized with more than 40 songwriting awards and acknowledgements. Laying her emotions bare, she puts her passions on the line, bringing hop, biting wit and inspiration to everything she writes. From hilariously funny to moving compositions about love, remembrance, and social awareness, her songs always hit home, routinely bringing the audiences to laughter and tears.

Contemporary Rock by Atlas Shrugged Unplugged Featuring Julia Sabra on Vocals - Atlas Shrugged is an acclaimed local rock cover band that has performed throughout South Florida for the past 13 years. The Unplugged version consists of three members of the band: Tom Gress on percussion and vocals, Todd Weinkle on guitar and vocals and Rick Sabra on bass and vocals. They will perform a mix of cover tunes as well as two original songs written and performed by Julia Sabra, a 15-year-old aspiring singer/songwriter.
 

 STUDENT NIGHT

Students Meet the Maestro
Wednesday, February 20, 2013.
6:00 p.m.

Price: FREE for all students with school I.D.
           FREE for adults accompanied by a student
           Pizza for purchase
Gary Sheldon, conductor of the Miami City Ballet, gives a glimpse into the lives of professional musicians. Students throughout Broward County are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to meet the musicians in the Miami City Ballet orchestra and sit in on their rehearsal of The Masters. 

6:00 - 6:45 p.m. - Open discussion with Gary Sheldon and the students. Refreshments will be available at a nominal charge between 6:00 and 6:45 p.m. Parents of students attending this discussion are welcome to join their children at the 7:00 p.m. rehearsal.

7:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Open rehearsal for students and parents. Sheldon will wear a microphone so the audience will hear everything happening during the rehearsal. Because of the nature of the rehearsal, children under 5 are not encouraged to attend this performance.

 Meet the Maestro
Thursday, February 21, 2013.
6:00 p.m.

Price: General Admission $10       DPJCC Members $8
           FREE for all students with school I.D.
Gary Sheldon, conductor of the Miami City Ballet, will open the orchestra's rehearsal of The Masters to our community. Before the rehearsal, Sheldon will discuss The Masters and the music that the orchestra will perform. During the rehearsal, he will wear a microphone so the audience can hear the repartee between the conductor and the musicians.

6:00 - 6:45 p.m. - Open discussion with Gary Sheldon. Complimentary light refreshments will be served from 6:00 - 6:45 p.m.

7:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Open rehearsal with Gary Sheldon. Because of the nature of the rehearsal, children under 5 are not encouraged to attend this performance.

 Chuck Prentiss Presents:
The 10 Greatest Jewish Performances of the Past Century
Thursday, February 28, 2013.
1:00 p.m.

Price: Donation Requested
We invite you to take a nostalgic and entertaining musical journey with "Broadway's Ambassador to the World," Chuck Prentiss. Prentiss will guide us through the "Golden Age of Yiddish Second Avenue and Broadway Musical Theater," featuring the past century's greatest Jewish stars including Yetta Zwerling, Menasha Skulnick, Leo Fuchs, Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Danny Kaye, Barbra Streisand, Mandy Patinkin, Mel Brooks and more. Spend the afternoon reliving this wondrous time and discovering how much of their legacy continues to affect the world of entertainment today.

 Cantors LIVE!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
7:00 p.m.

Price: FREE
Enjoy this entertaining evening as local cantors shed their typical Jewish liturgy and join together on stage at the David Posnack JCC to showcase their talents with a variety of music. 

Featured cantors include: Rabbi Aviva Bass (Temple Beth Or), Cantor Moshe Buryn, Cantor Yakov Hadash (Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center), Rabbi-Cantor Bertram Kiefer (Sunrise Jewish Center), Cantor Bill Lieberman (Temple B'nai Aviv), Cantor Eric Lindenbaum (Beth Ahm Israel), Cantor David Presler, Cantor Israel Rosen (Temple Solel), Cantor Jan Sheer (Temple Beth Emet), Cantor Manny Silver (Temple Beth El), Cantor Allison Teisch (Temple Dor Dorim), Cantor Natalie Young (Ramat Shalom); conducted by Cantor Steven Heavenstone and accompanied by pianist Gary Lawrence.

 CLOSING EVENT

Celebrating Music 2Gether
Sunday, March 17, 2013
1:00 p.m.

Price: General Admission $8       DPJCC Members, Children & Teenagers $5       Children 6 & Under Admitted Free
In partnership with Jewish Federation of Broward County, The Jewish Agency for Israel and Partnership2Gether: The Jewish Agency Peoplehood Platform

The language of music is universal. Musicians from our community and our partnership city, Nesher, Israel, will entertain and delight you at the final event of our cultural arts series. We are pleased to welcome Tom Cohen and Adi Ezra from Nesher to perform on statge at the David Posnack JCC. Cohen, 21, says her greatest passion has always been singing and acting, and last year she participated and placed very well in Israel's version of American Idol. Ezra, a young soldier in the IDF and currently serving as the lead vocalist for the IDF Music Orchestra, performed with a Nesher music group for nine years and continues to study music at every opportunity. The program will also feature an added surprise for your entertainment.