While watching a video of the Jewish singer Avishay Rosen, I noticed a suggestion for another video on Youtube. Curious, I opened the clip titled Daddy Come Home and was blown away by the emotive performance of the young Yaakov Mordechai Gerstner (he was virtually singing his heart out) and the Yeslava Boys Choir. It was not long before I had obtained some of the choir’s albums, seen numerous of their videos online and began to plan the introduction of their music to the readers of TheSkyKid.com.
The Yeshiva Boys Choir was founded in 2003 by Eli Gerstner and Yossi Newman. It originally featured fifty-five talented young voices from the Yeshiva (religious school) in Cleveland. Today the choir is based in Brooklyn, New York. They have, over the years, released eight albums and toured both in the US and abroad.
That I am connoisseur of the treble voice is a well-known fact to the readers of this site. Additionally, I seem to have an affinity for original, new-wave sounding choirs (to the horror of some of my friends who are devotees of the classical choir sound). The vibrancy of the Yeshiva Boys Choir has won me over. They will likely become my second favorite choir ( the first being the Vienna Boys Choir and their Vienna Boys Choir goes Pop album).
For those curious about the sound of the treble voice and who seek something different from the sounds of the many popular young male singers you can find today online, but are perhaps not really prepared to experience and/or fully appreciate the beauty of a more traditional classical cathedral choir performance, I heartily recommend you check out the Yeshiva Boys Choir.
It’s a fact that there is the perception of elitism by some people with regard to members of boy choirs. Perhaps it’s because of the rigid, elegant and classy dress code associated predominately with religious choir formations. Such stereotypes are challenged by the boys of the Yeshiva Boys Choir as their style and the manner in which they are directed is more in line with the commercially released clips of today’s contemporary musicians.
The Yeshiva Boys Choir – Daddy Come Home
The musical style of the Yeshiva Boys Choir is original and creative, which could actually result in fans of their own age, rather than what is traditionally an adult audience that appreciates the music of young performers (teen girls and their teen idols are naturally an exception). There is a lot of sincerity in the videos of the choir. For example, in the clip of Daddy Come Home one can literally feel the emotions of its young soloists while, in the clip of Ah Ah Ah (Ashrei), the choir members charm us with their improvisations and expressions – urging the audience to have as much fun as they had while recording the clip. Most of the repertoire of Yeshiva Boys Choir is in Hebrew, but the lyrics of their English language songs can potentially resonate meaningfully with audiences of all ages.
The Yeshiva Boys Choir – Ah Ah Ah (Ashrei)
The personality and experience of the musical conductor is always important to the overall image that any choir projects. That is also the case with Yossi Newman, whose outgoing personality and creative potential evidently serve as a big motivational boost for his choristers. They appear extremely confident, and professional while being playful and innocent at the same time. With such energy in the Yeshiva Boys Choir, it’s nearly impossible to resist becoming a fan. Of course he works in close collaboration with Eli Gerstner who composes most of the songs performed by the choir. Apparently he is a well-known musical genius in the world of Jewish music .
The Yeshiva Boys Choir’s music feels fresh and different. It’s inspirational and emotive: a contemporary boys choir with a soul and real vibe. Their songs get my highest recommendation!