Secret Chord Concerts: Kedmah | Mizrahi Jewish Poetry

Kedmah is an ensemble of musicians and prayer leaders excavating the power and beauty of Mizrahi Jewish expression through ancient poetry and song. Led by Rabbi Yosef Goldman and Music Director Yoni Avi Battat, Kedmah honors the artists’ Iraqi, Syrian, and Yemenite ancestry in conversation with their intersecting musical influences. Their interactive performances, workshops and recordings allow listeners to experience the spiritual and emotional depth of Middle Eastern piyyut (liturgical poetry) and the ages-old tradition of Arab melodies that adorn them. From Temple times to today, piyyutim utilize complex and beautiful Hebrew poetry to infuse spirit and meaning into both sacred and ordinary moments of human experience. The stirring melodies are rooted in the illustrious tradition of maqam- a distinct system of musical expression found exclusively in the music of the Arab world - with similar systems in places like Turkey, Iran, and North Africa. Kedmah honors and reinvents these living sacred traditions rendered with deep reverence for tradition and boldly adapted with an ear towards our modern musical world. Their debut album, Simu Lev, was released in April 2024 on Rising Song Records. Set List: Adon Olam / אֲדוֹן עוֹלָם, attributed to Solomon Ibn Gabirol, 11th C. | Melody: Arab classical repertoire (Mawwashah “Yah Sahi As-subui”) | Maqam: Nawa Ana B’Hasdekha / אָנָּא בְּחַסְדְּךָ, written by Asher Mizrahi, 20th C. | Melody: Rahamim Amar, 20th C. | Maqam: Hijaz Kar | Featured Vocalist: Yahala Lachmish Odeh La-El / אוֹדֶה לָאֵל, written by Shma’ya Kosson, 16th C. | Melody: Syria Unknown | Maqam: Saba Performed by: Yoni Battat – Vocals, Viola, and Oud Rabbi Yosef Goldman – Vocals Yahala Lachmish – Vocals Anat Halevy Hochberg – Vocals Rabbi Jessica Kate Meyer – Vocals Joey Weisenberg – Bass and Vocals Dan Kurfirst – Percussion The Secret Chord Concert Series aims to inspire in people of all backgrounds a greater appreciation for the diversity and richness of Jewish contributions to American culture and society. The performances and artists represent a diverse spectrum of styles, heritages, histories, and experiences. Credits: Produced by The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in partnership with the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Experience at The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. Produced by Daniel Samuels. Audio recorded and edited by Mageworks Productions. Video recorded and edited by Christopher McDonald. Recorded in front of a live audience at the Weitzman Museum in Philadelphia on November 16, 2023. Produced with generous support from the PA Council for the Arts. #SecretChords #TheWeitzman #Kedmah #JewishMusic #MizrahiMusic #Piyyut #Maqam #DiasporaVoices #LiveMusic #NowPlaying