This Music at Am Shalom LIVE album under the direction of Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz, was made in friendship and celebrates the special relationship built over many years between Rabbi Steven Stark Lowenstein & Am Shalom (Glencoe, IL) and Dr. Walt Whitman & Soul Children of Chicago.

Produced by Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz and Mike Konopka
Mixed and Mastered by Mike Konopka at PIE IN THE SKY studio
Location Recording at Am Shalom by Metro Mobile Recording with Timothy R. Powell and Marshaun Robinson

Lead Vocals: Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz, Cantor Julie Staple, Dr. Walt Whitman
Choir: Soul Children of Chicago
Iyunim/Readings: Rabbi Steven Stark Lowenstein, Rabbi Phyllis Sommer, Rabbi Pamela Mandel, Dr. Walt Whitman
Keyboard: Ken Smith
Percussion: Noah Plotkin, Nick McCree Sr.
Mandolin: Sam Powers
Bass: James Kaplan, Geoff Shell
Guitar: Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz

Album Design: Randi Brill Zieserl, QuaraCORE
Duplication: Disc Makers
Mechanical Licenses: Transcontinental Music, HFA Songfile, Easy Song Licensing
Special Appreciation: Cantor Pavel Roytman, Cantor Rebekah Mirsky, Craig Taubman

Support Music at Am Shalom through donations to the Ken Smith Music Fund (amshalom.com)

SOULcial Justice SHABBAT Shira (Live!)

October 2, 2016 ~ 1 Tishrei 5777
MUSIC AT AM SHALOM invites you to HEAR THE STILL SMALL VOICE within that helps us to appreciate, every day of our lives, how we are #BLESSED. 

(download the album on CDBaby, iTunes, Amazon)

#Blessed

A labor of love, this album was made possible through donations to the Ken Smith Music Fund at Am Shalom and through the generosity of the Zieserl and Rubenstein families.

Thank you to my incredible musical team: Ken Smith, Noah Plotkin, Bob Boiko, Andy Dennen, Allison Cook, Deanna Neil, Mike Konopka, Orna Arania, and Koleinu. Instrumental arrangements for the album were developed and created live and are an outgrowth of our weekly Shabbat services at Am Shalom.

For more information about Am Shalom, visit www.amshalom.com

Lamdeini: Teach me, O God, a Blessing, a Prayer

Much gratitude goes to my amazing team of musician friends, essential in bringing this project to life.  Thank you: 
David Strickland (piano), Ivan Barenboim (clarinet), Benny Koonyevsky (percussion), Jeff Carney (bass), Misa Iwama (alto), Joe Neal (baritone), Kevin Vortmann (tenor), Tami Petty (soprano), Jonathan Comisar (piano/composer), Nico Soco (guitar), and Kenny Feibush (violin).  
Finally, thank you HUC-JIR for graciously agreeing to let me record in Minnie Petrie Chapel and to my incredible sound engineer, Chase Culpon.

Cantorial Demo 2013

This Music at Am Shalom live album, under the direction of Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz, is in loving memory of Marilyn Perlman Shonfeld who for decades, through the soulful strings of her violin, helped our congregation to pray Kol Nidrei.

Produced by Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz and Mike Konopka 
Mixed and Mastered by Mike Konopka at PIE IN THE SKY studio 
2016 Location Recording at Am Shalom by Timothy R. Powell (Metro Mobile Recording) 
1957 Recording by John W. Reiser at University of Michigan, School of Music

Lead Vocals & Guitar: Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz
Readings: Rabbi Steven Stark Lowenstein, Rabbi Phyllis Sommer, Rabbi Pamela Mandel, Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz
Additional Lead Vocals: Jeanne Diamond (Shalom Rav I), Orna Arania (Adonai, Adonai)
Piano/Keyboard/Organ: Ken Smith
Additional Piano: Nancy Bluestone (Baal Shem)
Violin: Melissa Arbetter (S’lichot service), Sylvia Myintoo (Kol Nidrei service), Marilyn Perlman Shonfeld (Baal Shem) 
Cello: Ben Manis (Kol Nidrei service)
Conductor: Orna Arania 
Koleinu Adult High Holy Days Choir:
Isabelle Arbetter*, Diane Arnold*, Jeff Arnold*, Nancy Berg*, Nick Brown*, Terry Bucher, Andrea Caruso, Nathalie Colas Grant, Allison Cook, Mark Crayton, Ray Cunha, Melissa Estes*, Kaitlin Foley, Susan Frank*, Maxine Greenberg*, Michael Hawes, Gregg Kalman*, Stephen Libbin*, Stephen Noon, Josh Pritchett, Nicole Rodin, Ted Schaffner*, Dorothy Shapiro*, Kari Marie Sorenson, Sean Stanton, Tonka Stavrakova*, Howard Tatar* (*member of Koleinu)

Album Cover Design: Randi Brill Zieserl, QuaraCORE
Duplication: Disc Makers
Mechanical License: Transcontinental Music, HFA Songfile
Special appreciation: Cantor Doug Cotler (Or Zaru'a), Cantor Israel Goldstein (Shomeir Yisrael), Cantor Leon Sher (Adonai, Adonai), Michael Jay Skloff (K'dushah)

For more information about Am Shalom, visit www.amshalom.com

Sh'ma Koleinu ~ Hear Our Voice (selections from S'lichot & Kol Nidrei)

ANAH DODI
Words: Song of Songs 2:10-12
Music: Charles Davidson (Born 1929)

Vocals: Cantors David Berger and Andrea Rae Markowicz
Recorded for Shabbat Pesach 5781 (April 2021)
Originally commissioned by Beth El Zedek, Indianapolis, IN

"My beloved spoke and said to me: 'Rise up my love, my fair one and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing is come; And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.'"

Anah Dodi (Charles Davidson)

This ancient song with a Turkish melody, written in the Judeo-Spanish language, Ladino, and arranged by Eleanor Epstein, celebrates the quiet but indispensable role that women played in the redemption of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery. 

PAR'O ERA ESTRELLERO
Pharaoh was a stargazer. He went out one night to look at the moon. He saw a divine star foretelling that Moses would be born. He commanded that the midwives be called - all that were in Egypt. To all of them he warned - Don't catch a Jewish baby! The midwives were Jewish, beloved by God. They caught the babies and fled, and so Moses was born. His sister, the Levite, made him a basket. She covered it with pitch and placed it in the Nile. 

Music published by Transcontinental Music Publications (1999).
Recorded in March 2021 by the Cantorial class ordained in 2013 from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music.

SOPRANO I
Cantors Lauren Furman Adesnik, Andrea Rae Markowicz, Lauren Phillips
SOPRANO II
Cantors Aviva Marer, Leslie Niren, Faryn Kates Rudnick
ALTO
Cantors Amanda Winter Edmondson, Sarah Silverberg, Alicia Stillman

Par'o Era Estrellero (Pharaoh Was A Stargazer)

Am Shalom "Tiny Desk" Tot Shabbat
Recorded in Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz's office with musicians Noah Plotkin on percussion and El Kogan on guitar, vocals, and engineering, some of our favorites for our favorite Tots at Am Shalom! 
For more information on Music at Am Shalom, go to www.amshalom.com

Hinei Ma Tov (folk/Jacobson-Drozi)

Bim Bam - Shabbat Shalom (Frankel)

L'chi Lach (feat. Kadi House)

The Threefold Blessing (feat. Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz)

Oseh Shalom (feat. Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz, Zach Powers & Sam Powers)

Holy One-Hoshiah (feat. Noah Aronson & Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz)

Gesher (feat. Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz, Orna Arania & Kadi House)

05 Mi Chamocha

04 Mizmor Shir L'Yom HaShabbat

03 L'cha Dodi

02 Zamru L'Adonai

01 L'chu N'ran'na - Shiru

Sh'ma Koleinu ~ Hear Our Voice (MASTER)

K'dushah

Adonai, Adonai

Ki Anu Amecha

Baal Shem (Pictures of Chassidic Life): II. Nigun (Improvisation)

Return Again-Hashiveinu

High Holy Days Nigun

This Music at Am Shalom live album, under the direction of Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz, is dedicated to all who volunteer their time and talents to Music at Am Shalom, helping to create meaningful and beautiful worship for our sacred commUNITY.

Produced by Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz and Mike Konopka 
Mixed and Mastered by Mike Konopka at PIE IN THE SKY studio
Location Recording at Am Shalom by Metro Mobile Recording with Timothy R. Powell (2017) and Mike Konopka (2018)

Lead Vocals: Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz
Additional Lead Vocals: Cantor Julie Staple (Blessed, Hashkiveinu, May The One), JeanneDiamond(AvinuMalkeinu)
Readings/Iyunim: Rabbi Steven Stark Lowenstein, Rabbi Phyllis Sommer, Rabbi Pamela Mandel
Piano/Keyboard/Organ: Ken Smith
Violin: Sylvia Myintoo, Emi Tanabe (Blessed, Hashkiveinu, May The One)
Harp: Kara Bershad
Guitar: Cantor Andrea Rae Markowicz, Andy Dennen (Blessed, May The One)
Percussion: Noah Plotkin (Blessed, May The One)
Bass: Geoff Shell (Blessed, May The One)
Conductor: Orna Arania
High Holy Days Adult Choir:
Diane Arnold*, Jeff Arnold*, Nancy Berg*, Andrea Caruso, Allison Cook, Mark Crayton, Ray Cunha, Micah Dingler, Melissa Estes*, Susan Frank*, Mark Haddad, Stephen Libbin*, Alexandra Olsavsky, Sarah Phillips, Ted Schaffner*, Dorothy Shapiro*, Kari Marie Sorenson, Sean Stanton, Howard Tatar*, Samuel Weiser, Jonathan Weyant (*member of Koleinu)

Album Cover Design: Randi Brill Zieserl, Quaracore
Duplication: Disc Makers
Mechanical License: Transcontinental Music, Cantors Assembly
Special appreciation: Noah Aronson, Zina Goldrich, Aharon Harlap, Eliana Light, Danny Maseng, Alicia Stillman

Support Music at Am Shalom through donations to the Ken Smith Music Fund (amshalom.com)

22 May The One - Oseh Shalom

21 Sh'ma Yisrael

20 Avinu Malkeinu II

19 B'terem

18 Keep Open The Gates

17 Yesh Kochavim

16 Esa Einai

15 Enosh

14 L'chol Ish Yesh Shem

13 Heal Us Now

12 Sh'ma Koleinu II

11 Love Beyond...

10 Sim Shalom II

9 Hashkiveinu

8 R'tzei

7 The Great Aleinu

6 B'rosh Hashana

5 Un'tane Tokef

4 Sim Shalom I

3 Elohai N'tzor

2 Shana Tova...

1 Blessed Will You Be

As the Israel crossed Yam Suf, from bondage in Egypt to freedom and the unknown possibilities ahead, this text celebrates the uniqueness of God.  Dan Nichols' composition offers spirit, joy and possibility in the moment and to what lies ahead. 

01 Mi Chamocha (Dan Nichols)

02 B'rosh Hashana (Sol Zim arr. Simon Spiro/Israel Alter/Louis Lewandowski)

I first was introduced to this L'cha Dodi while working at the Tel Aviv congregation, Beit T'filah Israeli.  The melody comes from a popular Yoni Rechter song called "Erev Ironi".  Adapted to L'cha Dodi, it gently entices the Shabbat Bride to enter into our midst.

03 L'cha Dodi (Yoni Rechter/Beit Tefilah Israeli)

Spread over us a shelter of peace, Adonai.  A beautiful setting of Hashkiveinu. 

04 Hashkiveinu (Danny Maseng)

05 Yom Zeh L'Yisrael (Sephardic melodies, arr. Joshua Jacobson)

In this setting of Avinu Malkeinu written for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, composer Max Janowski invokes feelings of both intimacy and majesty. Standing before the open ark, I can't help but get wrapped up in its emotion.

08 Avinu Malkeinu (Max Janowski)

20 Oseh Shalom

7 L'cha Dodi

5 L'chu N'ran'na - Shiru

4 Kabbalat Shabbat

3 Shabbat Candles

2 Standing At The Sea

1 Dear Friends

Released on Shabbat Shuva 5781 (9-25-2020), I'm grateful to share a personal meditation with two incredible Jewish musical artists and composers, Noah Aronson and Coleen Dieker. Va’ani T’filati from Psalm 69:14 - calls us to dig deep and reflect - on our relationship with The Eternal, and what it means to be the prayer and to live in blessing. 

On this Shabbat of Return as we approach Yom Kippur, we look inward to reassess, review, and make peace with the year that was, and the new year that is now and will be ahead. 
Shabbat Shalom, Shana Tova v'G'mar Chatima Tova.

Va'ani T'filati (Noah Aronson & Coleen Dieker)

Andrea Rae Markowicz

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