Raymond Goldstein was born in 1953 in Cape Town where he completed his musical studies. Since 1978 he has been on the faculty of the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv specializing in opera.  He also holds the post of arranger/composer and associate conductor of the Jerusalem Great Synagogue Choir.

In 1991 he was appointed senior teacher at the Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute. He frequently appears both on stage, radio and television in Israel and has undertaken concert tours in Australia.  His compositions include a chamber opera, orchestral works, chamber music and numerous arrangements of pieces, secular and sacred.
 

PESACH CANTATA by Raymond Goldstein

The Cantata is based on many well known tunes (nigunim) from the haggadah. In this work Goldstein has created a unique synthesis between its modern orchestration and many familiar traditional tunes and liturgical passages.  The arrangements of the tunes are filled with exciting and unpredictable tempi and harmonies.  The work is also filled with musical humor.

The Ra’anana Symphonette will be hosting the WORLD PREMIER GALA Performance of the Pesach Cantata on March 18th, 2001 and the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony will host the American Premier on March 10, 2002.