Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus       Keeping Yiddish choral music alive!    The JPPC, 1923 The JPPC, 1964 JPPC Milestones 1923-2006 1922 - The Freiheit Gezang Farein (FGF) is founded by conductor/composer Lazar Weiner on New York's Lower East Side 1923 - Sat., Feb. 23, Carnegie Hall - FGF gives its first concert, including a song that was to be a staple of its repertoire for some 20 years: "The Internatsionale" 1925 - The Jewish Workers Music Alliance (Der yidisher muzikalisher arbeter-farband) is founded as funding organization for many Yiddish choruses. During its 60-year existence, the Alliance publishes 8 collections of Yiddish choral works (Gezang un Kamf), edited by FGF conductors Jacob Schaefer and Max Helfman 1926 - Feb. 20, Mecca Temple, NYC - The FGF, conducted by Weiner, debuts Jacob Schaefer's oratorio, Tsvey Brider, the first time a Yiddish chorus performed with an orchestra 1927 - Jacob Schaefer takes over as conductor of the 300-singer chorus 1920s - Choruses of the International Workers Order / IWO ("ordn-khorn") spring up all over the city (Washington Heights, Brighton, Brownsville, Coney Island, Kings Highway, Jamaica, two in the Bronx, the "Downtown" and the "Yugnt" branch), the tri-state area (Newark, Passaic, Paterson, Farmer's Chorus and Connecticut) and the country (Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Miami, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Bay Area, Los Angeles, Petaluma). There were 30 in all, nationwide 1936 - Schaefer passes away suddenly at age forty-eight 1936-48 - Max Helfman takes over as FGF’s conductor 1937 - The Jewish Workers Music Alliance changes its name to the Jewish Music Alliance (Der yidisher muzik-farband) 1938 - Freiheit newspaper editor Moyshe Olgin passes away. A force in the creation and continuation of the FGF, Olgin is memorialized by the song "Mir zogn tsu" (words: Yuri Suhl; music: Max Helfman), which becomes a staple of the FGF's repertoire 1948 - The FGF changes its name to the Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus 1948 - Sun. eve, June 13, Carnegie Hall - Max Helfman's final concert with the JPPC and premiere of Helfman's "Di Naye Hagode", his haunting setting of Itsik Fefer's epic poem of the same name 1948-52 - Dr Leon Kopf, German refugee, conducts the JPPC. The earliest Chorus recording dates from this period 1952-60 - Eugene (Yehuda) Malek takes over as the JPPC’s conductor 1953 - The first annual concert of the Jewish Cultural Clubs and Societies features the sister chorus of the JPPC, the Jewish People's Chorus of New York (JPCNY) conducted by Maurice Rauch, performing the first of many dramatic chorales written by Itche Goldberg in collaboration with Rauch as composer 1958/59 - The JPCNY makes two recordings: A Goldfaden Collection and the folk-operetta, Sholem Aleichem Dir, Amerike! 1960-71 - The JPCNY merges into the JPPC and Maurice Rauch becomes conductor of the "new" chorus. During Rauch's tenure, the JPPC records Schaefer's Tsvey Brider (1967), the last recording of the Chorus, until 2006 1971-72 - Oscar Julius conducts the JPPC 1972-77 - Maurice Rauch returns to conduct the JPPC 1977-80 - Franco Rossi conducts the JPPC 1980 - Rauch conducts one concert for the JPPC 1980-84 - Madeline Simon is the JPPC’s first female conductor 1984-95 - Peter Schlosser is the JPPC conductor 1985 - The Jewish Music Alliance merges into the Zhitlowsky Foundation 1995 - Binyumen Schaechter takes over as conductor 1998 - JPPC begins year-round Outreach Concerts throughout NYC tri-state area, from Town Hall to the Museum of Jewish Heritage. The JPPC becomes arguably the first Yiddish chorus ever to sing a cappella and mixed (not in vocal sections) 2000, 2001, 2003 - The JPPC is one of only two Yiddish choruses to perform at the North American Jewish Choral Festival at the Nevele Hotel, Ellenville, NY 2000 - The JPPC becomes the first Yiddish chorus to perform on the World Trade Center Plaza 2001 - The JPPC sings for a Chanuka Memorial Ceremony at Ground Zero, site of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks 2002, 2005, 2006 - The JPPC is the only Jewish chorus to perform at the New York International Choral Festival at Alice Tully Hall (Lincoln Center) 2003 - The Jewish People’s Philharmonic Chorus celebrates 80 years of preserving, creating, and sharing Yiddish song, becoming one of the world’s longest continually operating Jewish choruses 2005 - The JPPC is the first Yiddish chorus to perform at Shea Stadium (Queens, NY), singing our National Anthem at the NY Mets' Jewish Heritage Day, as well as Mark Zuckerman's choral arrangement of "America the Beautiful" in Yiddish ("Amerike di prekhtike") 2006 - The JPPC releases its first CD, the Chorus' first recording in 39 years Why Yiddish? Yiddish has been the everyday voice of the Ashkenazic Jewish people for around one thousand years. Mixing Hebrew, High German, Slavic, and Romance languages, Yiddish was spoken in Jewish daily life in Central and Eastern Europe from medieval times. In the 19th century, the language reached its "Golden Age" in the literature of such internationally renowned writers as Sholom Aleichem, Y. L. Peretz, Itzik Manger, and Isaac Bashevis Singer. Throughout that time, many Yiddish speakers also emigrated to cities and towns in North and South America, Africa, Australia, and Asia. In New York City, Yiddish was the mame-loshn or "mother tongue" that Jewish immigrants spoke with their children, heard in Second Avenue theatres, and read in newspapers like the Forverts (Forward) and the Frayhayt. Although Yiddish was almost silenced in the 20th century by the Holocaust and assimilation, this rich, vibrant voice of Jewish history and culture is growing stronger day by day. Written in Hebrew script, Yiddish today is a living language, pronounced with great expression and musical cadence. Almost a million people around the globe speak Yiddish – 250,000 in the United States and 60,000 in New York State alone. Today more than 60 universities worldwide offer classes in Yiddish, and New York City itself boasts a Yiddish degree program at New York University, as well as courses at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, Jewish Theological Seminary, and the Workmen's Circle. The past twenty years has seen a rebirth of interest in Yiddish music, literature, and arts, and in Yiddish itself, a vital symbol of Jewish identity which once approached extinction.