MUSIC

The Jewish Community Center of Houston presents The University of Pennsylvania Shabbatones Workshop and Concert. The University of Pennsylvania Shabbatones, one of the premier Jewish a cappella groups in the country, has chosen Houston as the location for their annual residency in January. They will perform, educate and hold a master class workshop at the JCC Houston.

The ensemble has recorded, produced and released four original CDs, with a fifth on the way. Specializing in popular American, Israeli and Jewish music, The Shabbatones have performed for audiences both at Penn and at other venues throughout the country and internationally.

A public concert by The Shabbatones will be held on January 5 at 8:00 p.m. at Congregation Brith Shalom (4610 Bellaire Blvd). Opening for The Shabbatones is the newly formed a cappella group, JCC Houston jTunes. The jTunes is the inspiration of JCC Arts & Culture Steering Committee Chairwoman, Barbara Winthrop Rose, and is under the direction of UH Moores School of Music Doctoral Candidate, Jaemi Blair Loeb.

“We are very excited about the progress jTunes has made since we began in July and are enthusiastic to continue to develop the group and hold our next round of auditions. Singing is uplifting and a wonderful way to come together as a people and as a community. It will be so much fun to kick off our first appearance in conjunction with the Shabbatones, as we all welcome them to our Houston community,” said Winthrop-Rose.

The concert is a collaborative presentation of Congregation Brith Shalom, the Beth Yeshurun Blumenfeld-Suvalsky Religious School Enrichment Fund and the Jewish Community Center.

The Shabbatones will spend a week at various venues connecting with different community groups including Congregation Beth Yeshurun Day School, Congregation Brith Shalom’s high school students, Congregation Beth Yeshurun’s Hillel High School students, The Emery/Weiner School and the JCC Senior B’tayavon group presenting workshops and private concerts.

An a cappella workshop with The Shabbatones is being hosted by the JCC Houston jTunes on January 4 at 7:00 PM at the JCC (5601 S. Braeswood). For information on this A Cappella Master Class Workshop, contact Brittany Horwitt at 713-551-7200 ext. 3327.

Schedule of Events:

A Cappella Community Workshop with Special Guests the Shabbatones
Tuesday, January 4 at 7:00 PM
at the JCC
Free event

The University of Pennsylvania Shabbatones will be conducting a master workshop for all a cappella enthusiasts. Learn how to choose, arrange and conduct a cappella music with one of the premier Jewish a cappella groups in the country.

Penn Shabbatones in Concert
Featuring Opening Act the JCC Houston jTunes
Wednesday, January 5 at 8:00 PM
Congregation Brith Shalom, 4610 Bellaire Blvd.
$18 per person

Founded in 2001, the Shabbatones are the student-run Jewish a cappella group at the University of Pennsylvania. One of the premier Jewish a cappella groups in the country, we are known for our energetic arrangements and entertaining performances.

Shabbatones members and alumni include undergraduate and graduate students, studying a wide variety of subjects like engineering, psychology, business, and physics. We come from a variety of Jewish backgrounds, unified by a love for Jewish music and a commitment to being the voice of one of the largest and most vibrant Hillels in the nation.

Specializing in popular American, Israeli and Jewish music, the Shabbatones have performed for a variety of audiences both at Penn and at other venues throughout the country. All of our arrangements are written by group members.

In the nine years since the group began, our music has been heard all over the world. "Hineh Ba HaShalom," from our debut album, Restless, is featured on the charity CD Mitzvah Music, benefitting the Dream Street Foundation. "Accidentally in Love," from our CD Challah Back, appeared on the September 1, 2004 episode of the Coverville podcast. "Yallah Lech Habayta Moti" is now featured on the Best of Jewish A Cappella CD, released in February of 2007.

During breaks from school the Shabbatones have traveled all over the world on tours to Boston, California, London, the Eastern Seaboard, and most recently, Miami. During the year, the group enjoys performing all over the tri-state area (Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey).

In spring 2009, we released our 4th CD Friday Night Lights, which received honorable mention for the Recorded A Cappella Review Board's best a cappella albums of the year!!

Two songs from Friday Night Lights were selected to appear on the compilation CD The Best of Jewish A Cappella: Volume 2, just released in September 2010!! "Ahava K'tana" was selected as the album's opening track, and "Tikva" also appears on the CD, along with other songs from the premier Jewish a cappella groups in the country!!

For more information, contact Brittany Horwitt at 713-729-3200 ext. 3327 or bhorwitt@jcchouston.org.