Sunday, April 3rd at 4:00 pm on Zoom
Psalms 114 – 118 are psalms of thanksgiving. They are recited on the three festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot, and on Rosh Chodesh and Chanukah. This presentation explores the wide horizons and endless musical possibilities for each Psalm, in a variety of musical expressions including folk, classical choral, and the high art of Cantorial interpretations.
Click here to join via Zoom
(Meeting ID: 880 6138 5806 / Passcode: 151848)
Benjamin Z. Maissner is Cantor Emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple, in Toronto, Canada; Conductor and Music Director of Lachan Jewish Chamber Choir; and part-time faculty member at Abraham Geiger College in Germany.
A versatile Shliach Tzibbur and performer, Cantor Maissner has mastered a variety of musical styles, from Jewish Renaissance and early Hebrew Art Music to contemporary Canadian, American and Israeli compositions. He has performed at Carnegie Hall in New York, Jerusalem Theatre in Jerusalem, Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv, Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, and The Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Washington State; as well as Roy Thomson Hall, The Ford Centre for the Performing Arts, Air Canada Centre, Koerner Hall, and Leah Posluns Theatre, in Toronto. He has been featured with several symphony orchestras, including Toronto, San Francisco, Winnipeg, Hamilton, York University, Bulgarian Sofia, and Ra’anana. At the invitation of the Centre for Jewish Music in Hannover, Germany, he returned to his father’s home city to participate in a concert commemorating the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht. More recently, he appeared in The “Night” Holocaust Project. Additionally, the Cantor consulted and sang on documentary films for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, including “To Mend the World” and “The Man Who Hid Anne Frank”, produced by Harry Rasky.
Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Cantorial Music from Hebrew Union College, a Master’s degree in Music History, Voice and Performance from Temple University, and honorary Doctorates from Hebrew Union College and Jewish Theological Seminary, the Cantor is a highly sought-after lecturer, teacher, coach, and mentor, with an encyclopedic knowledge of Jewish secular and liturgical music. He was the National Chair of the Certification Program of the American Conference of Cantors; Cantor-in-Residence at Hebrew Union College in New York, Cincinnati and Jerusalem; and is a part-time lecturer and coach at Abraham Geiger College, in Germany.
A leader in the Jewish community, Cantor Maissner served on the executive board of the Cantors’ Assembly (Conservative) and as Vice President of the American Conference of Cantors (Reform). In recognition of his significant contribution to the reconciliation between Christians and Jews and Germans and Jews, and for restoring and preserving the Jewish musical heritage of Germany,
Cantor Maissner was awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Germany's highest civilian honour.
Fri, June 6 2025
10 Sivan 5785
