Cantorial student Justin Callis recently fulfilled a childhood dream by composing “The Song of Jonah,” a cantata for soloist, choir, and orchestra. Inspired by his early experiences with a musical on the Book of Jonah, Callis blended Hebrew, Yiddish, and English in his work, which debuted at Hebrew Union College before a performance at Rodeph Sholom Yom Kippur. The performance featured both Callis’ original composition and rare Jonah-themed pieces, including an American premiere of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s work.
Read more about this unique musical journey here.
Watch the Yom Kippur performance at Rodeph Sholom here.
