There was an unusual concert that took place at the University of Southern Maine Hannaford Hall at the Abromson Center in Portland on Oct.14. It was noteworthy in several respects.

First the concert was given in memory of the late Kurt Messerschmidt, cantor at Temple Beth El for 34 years, a Holocaust survivor who died last November at the age of 104. I had the privilege of working with him on several occasions when he was the soloist in several of my compositions. He not only trained the temple choir but always performed the solo parts with passion and distinction. He once corrected a singer by reminding him that when he sang he was praying and not performing I can only say Amen to that.

It was fitting that a memorial fund was established and jointly with the Jewish Alliance of Portland a concert was chosen as a suitable way for the community to pay tribute to this beloved and admired individual.

The group chosen to give that concert is a group of four very talented female cantors known collectively as the Four Divas on the Bima. (Bima is the Hebrew word for a raised platform where the service is led.) I feel that the above rates a brief commentary.

Up to about two-thirds through the last century there were few (if any) female cantors. Cantors were the individuals who led the service and sang/chanted (in Hebrew) all of the prayers. And of this select group tenors made up more than 90 percent. (This is still true on both counts in Orthodox congregations.) As the role of the cantor demanded individuals who could teach mostly 12 year olds to prepare for their bar/bat mitsvahs, (by chanting a portion from the Prophets in Hebrew) and also be able (and willing) to read from the scroll of the Torah (Hebrew Bible written on parchment and a portion of which is chanted on morning services Monday, Thursday and especially on Saturday mornings) many females applied to and successfully completed their musical and religious studies at Conservative and Reform institutions, and often did so (gasp) with distinction. Thus by the second decade of the 21^st century, a female cantor (like a female rabbi) is not at all unusual, and may even be the norm in all but Orthodox congregations.

The group known as the Four Divas on the Bima consists of: Jen Cohen, Magda Fishman, Alisa Pomerantz-Boro, and Elizabeth Shammash. The very gifted accompanist for the group was David Schlossberg. The Divas performed individually and also as a group. They were impressive both ways. Their backgrounds should give the reader an idea why these ladies were so impressive. The bottom line however, as with anyone with the title of cantor is that he/she should have an outstanding voice and know how to use it. These ladies score a 10 in both categories. Hazzan (Cantor) Cohen is a graduate of Yale as well as the Jewish Theological Seminary and is the cantor at Temple Beth Shalom in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Cantor Shammash is the cantor of Tiferet Bet Israel in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. She received investiture as a Hazzan and also a master of Sacred Music degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Cantor Fishman is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and the William Esper Studio for professional acting. One might also add that she also played trumpet in the Israeli Army Orchestra. She presently serves as cantor at North Shore Synagogue in Syosset, New York. Cantor Pomerantz-Boro was invested as Hazzan in Sacred Jewish Music at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America and serves as cantor at Congregation Beth El in Voorhees, New Jersey.

There were many highlights at this concert and many stand out. I recall the medley of Broadway standards given in English and Hebrew by Fishman, the lilting cantorial phrasing byPomerantz-Boro, the rendition of Bernstein’s “There’s a Place For Us” by Shamash and the Nashville Blues singing of Cohen. Collectively, the toe-tapping rendition of a Hebrew prayer comes to mind. The audience paid tribute to the memory their beloved cantor and also experienced an evening of wonderful singing.

“Who could ask for anything more?”

— Dr. Morton Gold is a conductor/composer, retired educator and an arts reviewer for the Journal Tribune.