Cantor Beth Cohen will share with us her knowledge of Sephardic and Mizrachi music traditions. When praying and chanting from the Torah, Sefardi / Mizrahi Jews utilize the ancient scale/ modal system known as “maqam.” Each maqam has an emotional vibration and many are related to the Ashkenazic Cantorial modes. Learn the basic melodic structures; sing and listen to prayers from Jewish liturgy sung in maqam. Listen, feel and open our ears and senses to new ways of deepening our connections through prayer.

Since 1995, Beth Cohen has served as the musical director and cantor at Congregation Nahalat Shalom. She has studied Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jewish liturgy, nusach, trope and t'filah with several cantors and rabbis, and has conducted her own studies and research. She studied Music Performance at UNM and is skilled on at least 11 instruments, in addition to voice. Beth performs throughout the southwest as a soloist and with traditional and world music ensembles. She is currently in a trio called Neshama del Bosque, which explore the roots, seeds and branches of Sephardic and Judeo-Spanish music from Asia to New Mexico and beyond. Watch the newsletter for the Zoom link or call 856-1231.