Singing of Ascents // שירת המעלות

An Audio-Visual Site-Specific Piece

Eretz Israel Museum's Planetarium, Tel Aviv

2017

(12 min.)

 

The Brody Synagogue, Odessa, 1910.

Every Saturday, a large and diverse crowd – observant and secular Jews, and their non-Jewish neighbours – filled the sanctuary of the elegant Brody synagogue to hear the beautiful singing of the choir. The performances were the pinnacle of the week for the assembled. A moment when dreams were dreamed, intentions were clarified and desires became clear. A moment in which music, emotion, and spirituality merged into one place and time.

 

Singing of Ascents is an original audio-visual site-specific event inspired by those moments. For one evening, the Eretz Israel Museum Planetarium was transformed into a sacred sanctuary, a new galaxy where audiences embarked on a personal journey examining the eternity of yearning and issues surrounding place and identity.

 

The 12-minute audio piece uses a historic recording of Brody Synagogue choir (originally recorded in the 1930s), as well as original texts and compositions. 

 

Premiered at the Odessa Tel Aviv Festival, Eretz-Israel Museum (Tel-Aviv, IL), September 2017.

 

Singing of Ascents Credits:

By: Yifeat Ziv

Co-Creator & Video Art: Yoav Ronat

Sound Design: Gavriel Mandel

Artistic Accompaniment: Yael Biegon Citron & Alex Riff

 

Premiered at the Odessa Tel-Aviv Festival, September 2017