CCPD Program: Discussion on the Jewish Communities of Central and Eastern Europe with Matt Austerklein
Discover how our ACC tour takes us to the birthplace of the professional cantor! Cantor Matt Austerklein will share his doctoral research on the musical awakening of 17th century Czech and Polish cantors, which created a new model of cantor focused on musical artistry, composition, and professional community. This audio-visual journey will reveal the possible origins of cantorial traditions such as chazonus, niggunim, meshorerim, and organ in the synagogue, as well as uncover important, timeless lessons about the vocation of the cantor.
Cantor Matt Austerklein is the Cantor-in-Residence of Temple Beth Sholom (Sarasota, FL) and a PhD Candidate in Jewish Studies at Halle-Wittenberg University. He is the editor of three books and numerous articles on Jewish music, and serves on the cantorial faculty of the European Academy of Jewish Liturgy and École Rabbinique de Paris. In 2022, Matt received the Samuel Rosenbaum Award for Scholarship & Creativity, one of the CA’s highest honors. He writes regularly at Beyond the Music: a new commentary on Jewish music, arts, and culture - mattausterklein.substack.com.