An Evening of Sacred Music
100 Years of the Sukat Shalom Synagogue
Sinagogue Sukat Shalom
Thursday, January 29, at 8:00 PM
This concert, marking the centenary of the Sukat Shalom Synagogue—the central religious and cultural space of the Jewish community in Belgrade—is presented within the program framework of Rosi fest as a thematic evening dedicated to sacred music and its role in preserving cultural and historical continuity. The program is conceived as a synthesis of liturgical tradition and artistic performance practice, with the aim of presenting sacred repertoire within its broader music-historical and aesthetic context.
The core of the program consists of performances by the Baruch Brothers Choir, the oldest active Jewish choir in the world, whose more than century-long activity represents a continuous expression of the community’s musical identity. The choir’s repertoire lies at the intersection of synagogue tradition and European art music of the 19th and 20th centuries, with Hebrew liturgical texts interpreted through a developed harmonic language, clear formal structure, and collective choral expression. In this way, synagogue music is affirmed not only as a ritual practice, but also as a relevant part of the concert repertoire.
The performing ensemble—comprising choir, organ, and soloists—allows for a nuanced exploration of sacred musical expression, ranging from monumental, ceremonial sections to introspective, meditative passages. The organ plays an important role in shaping the overall sound image, functioning as both a harmonic and symbolic link between liturgical heritage and the concert space, while the solo parts emphasize the rhetorical and textual dimensions of the music.
The program is further enriched by instrumental compositions for cello and piano, in which traditional liturgical motifs and modal patterns are transformed into an autonomous artistic expression. Such works, characteristic of 20th-century sacred music, testify to the process by which ritual material is transferred into the concert context, retaining its symbolic and emotional function while employing contemporary compositional means.
This jubilee also coincides with the celebration of twenty years of artistic leadership by Stefan Zekić as chief conductor of the Baruch Brothers Choir. Over two full decades of his work, the choir has achieved continuous artistic development, expanded its repertoire, and strengthened its position as a significant bearer of the musical and cultural identity of the Jewish community in Serbia and beyond.
“An Evening of Sacred Music,” marking the centenary of the Sukat Shalom Synagogue within Rosi Fest, therefore represents not only a ceremonial celebration of an architectural and institutional jubilee, but also a thoughtful musical reflection on the role of sacred music as a space of memory, identity, and continuity. In this sense, the program connects history, liturgy, and contemporary performance practice, affirming the vitality of a tradition that is continuously renewed through music.
Program:
Louis Lewandowsky
Enosh (Psalm 103)
Ernest Bloh
Prayer ("From Jewish life" no.1)
Shemio Vinaver
Mashpil Geim
Max Bruch
Kol Nidrei 0p.47
Max Janovski
Ahavat O'lam
Ernest Bloch
"From Jewish life" No.1
Max Janovski
Avinu Malkeinu
David Meyerowitz
Gelt
Meir Finkelstein
L'dor va dor
Louis Lewandowsky
Psalm 150
Participans:
Baruch Brothers Choir
Ladislav Mezei, cello
Radan Jovanović, piano
Stefan Zekić, conductor
