ELIOT ALDERMAN
MA, MSci (Cantab); BMus (GSMD); FRSA
Training
Chazan Alderman studied the cantorial arts at the Tel-Aviv Cantorial Institute,
training with Chazan Naftali Herstik of the Jerusalem Great Synagogue, with Raymond Goldstein and with Chaim Feifel. He continues
his training in England with Chazan Moshe Haschel of St. John's Wood Synagogue.
He gained his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Studies from the Guildhall School
of Music and Drama in London, where he also studied on the Post-Graduate Vocal Training programme, taking conducting as an
additional study.
He is currently a Scholarship student on the prestigious Opera Course at
the Royal Academy of Music.
He also holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Natural Sciences from Cambridge
University.
Experience / Positions
Chazan Alderman has recently accepted the post of Director of Music of the Spanish & Portuguese Jews' Congregation,
subsuming Lauderdale Road, Bevis Marks and Wembley S & P synagogues. He will take up this position full-time from January
2010.
Prior to this appointment, Chazan Alderman was Chazan Sheini at the Central Synagogue, Great Portland Street,
where his duties included leading services on certain Shabbatot and festivals throughout the year, assisting with special
services, and acting as deputy choir conductor.
He has for several years acted as Chazan on the Yamim Nora'im at communities including Cardiff United Synagogue,
Staines Synagogue and Hounslow Synagogue, where he has also performed the duties of Ba'al Tokeah for the Shofar, and of Ba'al
Koreh for all the readings on these days.
On other Shabbatot and Yamim Tovim throughout the year, he leads services at a variety of synagogues. Venues
include the New West End Synagogue, Western Marble Arch, the West End Great Synagogue, Birmingham Hebrew Congregation (Singers
Hill), Southgate United, Muswell Hill, Portsmouth Synagogue, Hendon United, Finchley Central Federation, Palmers Green and
Kingston-upon-Thames, amongst others.
Chazan Alderman regularly performs solo concerts in many different venues, consisting typically of a mixture
of Jewish and secular repertoire. Some examples include concerts for the Central Music Society at the Great Portland Street
synagogue, one in aid of Kingston synagogue, and a benefit concert for the British Friends of Neve Avraham and the Board of
Deputies Environmental Project. In 2006 he gave a live performance on Shalom Radio of songs by English Jewish composers.
More recent performances have included concerts at the Finchley Arts Depot, at Southgate Synagogue, in the concert
hall in Gibraltar, and a concert performance of Samuel Alman's Yiddish opera King Ahaz at the Purcell Room, the first
live performance of this music in over 90 years.
In February 2009, Chazan Alderman was privileged to sing at the Peter Heimann Memorial Concert at Wembley Synagogue,
in memory of a man who was an enthusiast and activist in the world of Jewish Music, and a great friend of the British Cantorate.
On a smaller scale, Eliot often sings at communal Melava Malka concerts, including performances for Kingsbury
and Ealing United Synagogues, and recently one for Portsmouth Synagogue.
In 2005 Chazan Alderman was appointed Assistant Musical Director of the London Jewish Male Choir,
in time for their 80th anniversary celebrations the following year. His duties involve repertoire selection, musical training
of the choir, conducting the choir for certain events, as well as being a resident vocal soloist for concerts.
The choir's 80th anniversary concert was held in December 2006, at which - amongst other items - Eliot
was the soloist for the premier of a new work Eicha by Joseph Finlay. More recent performances with the choir have
included concerts at Norwich Synagogue, Sinclair House and one in December 2008 at the Spanish & Portuguese Jews'
Congregation (Lauderdale Road) to celebrate the 90th anniversary of WIZO.
Chazan Alderman has recently started up his own professional male-voice choir The Rinah Ensemble. The
choir has already performed on a number of occasions, including a special service marking the 30th anniversary of the Hale
Community in Cheshire, a full choral Shabbaton (also in Hale) and a number of weddings and other simchas. In collaboration
with Chazan Avromi Freilich of Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue, the choir is currently preparing its first CD, which will
be released later in 2009, and will be a musical journey through the Jewish calendar.
