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A composer and singer formed in Satmar life

Hershy Weinberger

A prolific composer, lyricist, singer, and longtime Shira Choir member whose work moves between Satmar memory and the wider Hasidic music world.

Hershy Weinberger grew up with the language and religious culture that continue to shape his compositions. His songs are written for use: prayer, weddings, gatherings, recordings, and the private moments in which a melody becomes attached to words and memory.

In a long-form interview, he describes the composer's largely unseen role and the satisfaction of hearing children sing a song without knowing who wrote it. The Satmar Medley makes that relationship especially visible by bringing melodies associated with earlier Satmar life into a contemporary ensemble production.

Videos in this collection