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Music of VBS

The Music of VBS

Music plays a great role within VBS culture.

The sounds of VBS are unique to our synagogue; our melodies carry with them our history and soul.

Experience the music of VBS at a variety of prayer experiences including Friday evening services such as Rimonim Shabbat, T'marim Sephardic Shabbat and Shabbat Farbrengen. Learn more here >

Listen to Or Hadash, our 5783 High Holiday album below!

 

Cantor Jacqueline Rafii

VBS Senior Cantor Rafii is a published composer of Jewish music and a classically trained pianist. She performs Jewish music in Hebrew, Farsi, Ladino, and English. Cantor Rafii earned her JD from UCLA School of Law and practiced entertainment law for three years, representing major and upcoming artists. For her cantorial Master's Thesis, she conducted original fieldwork in the area of preserving, notating, and disseminating Persian Jewish prayer melodies.

 

Cantor Phil Baron

VBS Cantor Phil Baron (see bio) has written and recorded a number of soundtracks, which can be sampled in the playlists below. He has also composed a number of productions receiving national publicity including David's Quilt, an original libretto about biblical King David that premiered at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. Learn more about Cantor Baron's role in David's Quilt >

Cantor Herschel Fox

VBS is also home to long-time Cantor Herschel Fox. Cantor Fox (see bio) infuses his music and service leading with true Yiddishkeit and soulful passion. He also directs the VBS children’s Chazzanut (cantorial) class which helps lead Shabbat morning services.

Chris Hardin

Former VBS Music Director Chris Hardin is a composer, orchestrator, music director, conductor and performer. Learn more >

Listen Now

Kabbalat Shabbat

Rimonim

Come as you are. Leave transformed. Reach into your soul through song, prayer and dance. Click here to learn more about Rimonim >

Listen to the Rimonim audio tracks below by clicking on each linked title:

  1. Fly Away (Ara Dinkjian)
  2. Shalom Aleichem (Shmuel Brazil)
  3. Y'did Nefesh (Ehud and Sara Zweig)
  4. L'chu N'ran'nah (R. Zirotkin)
  5. Shiru L'Adonai (Psalm 96) (Shlomo Carlebach)
  6. Ohr Zarua (traditional)
  7. Shiru L'Adonai (Psalm 98) (Moshe Nathanson)
  8. Havu L'Adonai (Shlomo Carlebach)
  9. L'cha Dodi (Phil Baron and Chris Hardin)
  10. Ahavat Olam (Eric Mandell)
  11. Mi Chamocha/Malchutcha (Stephen Schwartz, Phil baron and Noreen Green)
  12. V'shamru (Moshe Rothblum)
  13. Oseh Shalom 
  14. Chatzi Kaddish (Phil Baron)
  15. Aleinu (Phil Baron and Chris Hardin)
  16. Adon Olam (Phil Baron and Chris Hardin)

Produced by Cantor Phil Caron and Chris Hardin

Sanctuary

Listen to the audio tracks below by clicking on each linked title:

  1. Bar'chu
  2. L'dor Vador
  3. Ahavat Olam
  4. L'cha Dodi
  5. Yism'chu
  6. Hashkiveinu
  7. L'cha Adonai
  8. Yotzeir Atah
  9. Yiram Hayam
  10. R'faeinu
  11. Rom'mu

Ayekah

In preparation for the High Holidays in 2016, VBS unveiled a multi-platform, immersive campaign to draw our community together and gain collective perspective, inspiration and self-discovery. This carefully thoughtful soundtrack of spiritual “nigunim” were used for meditation, contemplation, and reflection. Click here to learn more about Ayekah >

Listen to the audio tracks below by clicking on each linked title:

  1. OLAM CHESED (Menachem Creditor)
  2. THE LADDER (Mordechai Twersky)
  3. MEDITATION (Phil Baron)
  4. M’LO CHOL HA’ARETZ (Phil Baron)
  5. NIGUN (Shlomo Carlebach)
  6. HALLELUYA (Phil Baron)
  7. YA SH’MA (traditional)
  8. AYEKAH (Phil Baron/Asher Levy)

CREDITS
Cantor Phil Baron (vocals)
Asher Levy (guitars, oud, mandolin, harmonium, piano)
Jamie Papish (percussion)
Miguel Atwood Ferguson (viola, violin)
Norik Manukyan (duduk, shvi, clarinet, zurna)
Kiernan Weggler (cello)
Additional vocals – Liza Baron, Marc Ginsburg, Shana Leon, Asher Levy
Recorded and Mastered by Tom Weir at Studio City Sound, Los Angeles
Produced by Phil Baron and Asher Levy
Manufactured by Private Label Music

Shabbat Shira Tunes

Listen Now >

VBS Tfilot

Listen to the audio tracks below by clicking on each linked title:

  1. Adonai Z'charnu
  2. Aleinu
  3. Amidah Weekday
  4. B'tseit Israeil
  5. Bar'chu Friday Night
  6. Bar'chu Weekday
  7. Baruch Sh'amar - B'rachot Only
  8. Baruch Sh'amar - cut version
  9. Baruch Sh'amar
  10. Blessings after the Haftarah
  11. Birchot Hashachar
  12. Birkat Hamazon
  13. Blessings before the Haftarah
  14. Chatzi Kaddish
  15. Hal'lu - from Hallel
  16. Hal'lu
  17. Havdalah
  18. Hodu
  19. K'dushah Weekday
  20. Kaddish Shaleim
  21. Ki L'cha Tov
  22. L'ma'an Tizk'ru
  23. Ma Ashiv LaAdonai
  24. Mi Chamocha Weekday
  25. Modeh Ani
  26. Odcha Ki Anitani
  27. Pitch Li - Aloni
  28. Pitchu Li - Carlebach
  29. Sh'ma - V'ahavta
  30. Shabbat Candle Blessing
  31. Tallit Blessing
  32. Torah Blessings
  33. Torah Service
  34. V'shamru - Kiddush

Cantor Herschel Fox

Listen to the audio tracks below by clicking on each linked title:

High Holidays

Listen to some of the traditional Selichot melodies recorded by Artist-in-Residence, Asher Levy

Former VBS Music Director Chris Hardin

  1. Adon Olam
  2. Ahavat Olam
  3. Ana B'coach
  4. Barchu
  5. Hashkiveinu
  6. Koh Amar
  7. L'cha Dodi
  8. L'chu Neranna
  9. Shalom Aleichem
  10. Shalom Rav
  11. V'shamru

Stay tuned for more VBS music to come, including Musical Musaf  and Meditation.

Wed, June 7 2023 18 Sivan 5783