Seton Hall University's chorus will help commemorate the 75th anniversary of "The Night of Broken Glass" with the Kristallnacht Concert at 3 p.m. on Nov. 17 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark The concert is open to the public..
Kristallnacht, "The Night of Broken Glass," took place Nov. 9-10 in 1938, when violent anti-Jewish protests broke out across the German Reich. Windows were broken in Germany and the ground looked as if it had crystals on it.
"This will be far more than a typical concert for choral program," said Dr. Jason Tramm, assistant professor and director of choral activities. "It commemorates one of the darkest chapters in recent history, Kristallnacht, when the Nazis began their devastating program against German and Austrian Jews. The music that we will perform will honor the memory of the thousands affected."
The chorus will be supplemented with five professional singers and musicians. Tramm said the University Chorus has been preparing for this concert since the end of September with rehearsals every week. The concert includes pieces such as the "Chichester Psalms" by Leonard Bernstein, "I Believe" by Mark Miller, and "Hine ma Tov" arranged by Iris Levine. There will also be a pas de deus, a ballet section for two dance soloists.
"My favorite part about this concert is that there is going to be different things occurring such as people speaking, music, and a ballet," chorus member Erin Smith said. "This is a service in a church, but anyone can go and experience this remembrance of Kristallnacht."
This service is dedicated to remembering those lost in the Holocaust, and the chorus will do this through progressing from dark pieces to lighter pieces, according to Tramm.
"The 'Halpern Cantata' is a powerful and dark piece," Tramm said. "From this dark work we come full circle to Bernstein's 'Chichester Psalms.' The theme of the piece is quite hopeful."
"The main goal of this concert is totake the audience on a journey," Tramm said. "From the somber realization of the magnitude of suffering to the hope that through mutual dialogue and respect we can live together in peace. Music has the power to heal and unite people. With so much discord and strife in the world, this diverse group of students takes the time out of their schedules to come together and make music."
Rebecca White can be reached at rebecca.white@student.shu.edu.
