Miami Boys Choir
Miami Boys Choir | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | Miami Beach, Florida |
Genres | Contemporary Jewish religious music |
Years active | 1977 | - Present
The Miami Boys Choir (MBC) is a contemporary Jewish religious music boys choir.
History
Formed in 1977 by Yerachmiel Begun, the Miami Boys Choir was part of a larger surge in popularity of Orthodox Jewish choral music.[1] The use of an all-boy choir is related to the Orthodox Jewish prohibition on listening to a woman singing.
While the group was formed in Miami Beach, Florida, after releasing the first few albums, Begun moved the choir to New York. Although he retained the "Miami" in the name of the group, subsequent albums were released with boys primarily from the New York/New Jersey area.[1]
Over the years, the choir's imaging has changed with the times. Originally called the "Miami Choir Boys," its name has alternated between "Miami Boys Choir" and "Yerachmiel Begun and the Miami Boys Choir." In addition, the album titles have slowly changed over time from just Hebrew titles (i.e., B'syata D'shamaya) to English and Hebrew together (e.g., Torah Today) and finally to the present format, which places "Miami" before the title (i.e., Miami Moshiach).
Compared to mainstream artists, the choir has not had spectacular results in terms of sales. However, in the Jewish music world, they are recognized as a success story. An example is their album released in 2005, Miami Revach, which reportedly sold over 15,000 copies in the first few weeks alone.[2]
DVDs
Since very early on, the choir has released DVD and VHS versions of their live albums. In 2005, "Miami Revach" was released in High-definition video.
Prominent soloists and alumni
- Yaakov Shwekey[3]
- Ari Goldwag[4]
- Nochum Stark[5]
- Yitzy Spinner[6]
- Nachman Seltzer[7]
- Shloime Dachs
- Yitzchok Rosenthal (Shalsheles)[8]
- Ari Saposh[9]
- Avraham Solomon[10][11]
- Elchonon Majeski[9]
- Mordechai Shapiro
Discography
Title[1][12] | Year Released | Comments |
---|---|---|
Victory Entebbe | 1977 | |
Miami Meets Toronto | 1978 | Prior to starting the Miami Boys Choir, Yerachmiel Begun lived and directed a choir in Toronto, Ontario. |
Miami Live | 1979 | Contains the now classic slowly sung "Baruch Hagever" which was later more famously sung solo by Ari Goldwag at Miami Experience 2 |
B'Siyata Dishmaya | 1984 | Contains the first MBC hit song "B'Siyata Dishmaya" |
Klal Yisroel - Together | 1987 | |
Shabbos Yerushalayim | 1989 | One of the soloists, Avraham Willig, is now a Menahel Ruchani in Bircas HaTorah and in 2013 released a CD "Lev Avos" |
Torah Today | 1990 | Contains the wedding hit "Od Yishoma" and "P'sach Libi" |
Miami Experience 1 | 1991 | The first of the "Miami Experience" albums featuring live concerts. |
Miami Experience 2 | 1992 | |
It's Min Hashamayim | 1993 | Contains two of the most popular and lasting MBC songs; Ani Ma'amin and Lo Yisa Goy. |
Miami Experience 3 | 1993 | |
Miami Experience 4 - Shiru Lo | 1994 | Contains MBC hit Nekadesh |
One By One | 1995 | Contains MBC hits Chasdei Hashem and Sunshine |
Miami Experience 5 | 1995 | 15,000 people attended the Miami Experience 5 concert at the Nassau Coliseum |
The Simcha Song | 1997 | Contains MBC hit Adon Olam |
Chanukah - Light up the Nights | 1997 | Featuring MBC hit Yaaleh V'yavoh. This album featured five new songs and then instrumental versions of those same songs. |
Stand Up | 1999 | Featuring MBC hit Hinei Ma Tov |
Yerushalayim - Can You Hear Our Voice | 2001 | A collection of songs from the past of Miami, and two new recordings. All the songs surround the idea of centrality Jerusalem to the Jewish nation. |
Bederech Hatorah - We Will Prevail | 2001 | An album that set the stage for a number of rising stars. It also has one song, Lo B'Ruach Hashem, that tops 7 minutes. |
Miami 25 - Past Present and Future | 2002 | Recording of the 25th anniversary concert including a number of prominent alumni. |
Miami and Dedi | 2003 | Recording of the 26th anniversary concert featuring guest star Dedi. |
Miami Revach | 2005 | Sold over 15,000 copies. |
Miami Revach (DVD) | 2006 | |
Miami Moshiach | 2007 | Featuring 5 new songs and five concert recordings from Miami 29 by Ohad, Dovid Gabay and Michoel Schnitzler. |
Around the Campfire | 2007 | MBC's first a cappella album. It features voices from several "generations" of the choir, being a project started in 2004. |
Yavoh | 2009 | |
Ultimate Miami - The Ultimate Collection | 2010 | A collection of the English songs over the years. |
The Miami Solo Album | 2010 | This album of non-Miami songs features Miami soloists: Shaul Elson, Yair Kenig, David Herskowitz, and Binyamin Ravina Abramowitz. |
Mi L'Hashem Eilai | 2011 | This album features one song from the new "Miami Israel" Choir directed by Miami Alumnus Menachem Klein. |
When the Siyum Calls | 2012 | A double CD album and music video released in honor of the 12th Siyum HaShas to take place at the MetLife Stadium on 1 August 2012.[13] |
Miami in Concert | 2013 | Recorded performances from 2011-2013. Includes special bonus features including 'Miami at Pomegranate' and 'In the Beginning', showing how the Israeli choir began and were trained even long distance from the U.S. |
Ut Ut | 2015 | Special track "Invei Hagefen" featured the Miami Alumni |
Miami B'Simcha Rabah (DVD) | 2016 | Contains footage of concerts from April 2013, 2015, 2016. (Most comes from the Concert of 2015 just after MBC released the album "Ut Ut".)The DVD also contains special features of the Miami world tour in Antwerp, Paris, London, Mexico, and Israel. |
Miami L'Olam Vo'ed ~ Forever! | 2018 | Contains 13 New Hit Songs. |
References
- ^ a b c "Boy Choir & Soloist Directory - Miami Boys Choir". 16 January 2008. Retrieved 23 December 2009.
- ^ Miami Revach DVD. Chapter 1.
- ^ Yaakov Shwekey Hebrew Bio Archived 4 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Ari Goldwag's Website - Biography". Archived from the original on 20 May 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "BCSD - Nochum Stark". Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ Maruch Miller, Rochelle. "Music Man: Up Close and Personal with itzy Spinner" (PDF). JE Magazine. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
- ^ "Interview with Rabbi Nachman Seltzer, Best Selling Author and Choir Director". 25 January 2016.
- ^ "Chasidi News - Jewish Music". Archived from the original on 21 August 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ a b "AKA Pella".
- ^ Avaraham Solomon's Bio
- ^ "Jewish Music Report - Avraham Solomon". Retrieved 4 January 2011.
- ^ Mostly Music Store Listing of MBC albums
- ^ "New York – Miami Boys Choir Music Video Highlights Siyum Hashas". Vos Iz Neias?. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2012.