Benefactor Appreciation Event
Rhodes to Life! Songs composed and performed by
Cantor Lance Rhodes
CafÊ & Concert Sunday, February 10, 2013 at 7:00 pm 30 Sh’vat 5773 Anderson Fair Houston, TX
Song Order and Themes: Where Are You in Life? 1. Petals of a Rose
Creation
2. Yismechu Hashamayim
Creation
3. Love,What Does It Mean?
Questions & Exploration
4. What Can I Promise You?
Love
5. Rock of Ages
Protection
6. Oseh Shalom
Peace
7. Kol Haneshamah
Unity & Celebration
8. A piano medley preceding Our Heroes’ Prayer
Prayer
9. Our Heroes’ Prayer
Prayer
10. Let It Out 11. Living With Miracles 12. Loving You
Overcoming Sorrow Finding God Happiness
13. Medley: Time & Journey Time Flies, Sending Us Through,The Next Journey 14. We Will Survive
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Survival
Song Notes
Petals of a Rose (1999) Lyrics by Rabbi S. David Kane
Everything begins with creation… and it is beautiful. Yismechu Hashamayim (2004) Text from Psalm 96
Musical word painting in this song reflects the location of the heavens/ sky, earth, and sea using three placements of vocalization: high, middle, and low. I composed this setting while overlooking the ocean on a cruise ship that I worked for. If you listen closely to the piano part, you can hear the waves of the sea as we sing the “ohs” of “um’lo’oh” (“the fullness”) together. Love, What Does It Mean? (2002) Lyrics by Rabbi S. David Kane
One of the greatest and most popular questions in life. Many have figured this out, but many are still trying. What Can I Promise You? (2005) Lyrics by Rabbi S. David Kane
Once love is found, it creates a bond that often leads to commitment. This song was written for and performed at Rabbi Kane’s wedding.
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Rock of Ages (2008) Lyrics by Cantor Ben Kintisch
A song of protection and comfort. Oseh Shalom (2009) Text from the liturgy
May there be peace. Kol Haneshamah (2007) Text from Psalm 150 with additions by Cantor Jeremy Stein Let’s celebrate life together, Halleluyah! A piano medley preceding Our Heroes’ Prayer (1996-2000) This piano medley consists of songs I wrote during my teenage years. The songs include “You and I Forever,” “The Morning Sun,” “In Search of a Dream,” and “The Wrong Fire.” Our Heroes’ Prayer (music 2006, lyrics 2012) Lyrics by Cantor Lance Rhodes
This song premieres tonight. I was inspired to write the lyrics by a story I heard from a speaker during Shabbat morning services at Brith Shalom. The story is of a young Israeli girl on her birthday frightened by the sight of enemy missiles overhead. Praying for her life, she is comforted by the sight of her country’s rockets crashing into the missiles and protecting Israel. The little girl says to her father, “Look, Daddy, fireworks on my birthday!” Although this story is specific to the Israeli conflict, the prayer for peace in the song’s refrain sings to the entire world. 4
Let It Out (2005) Lyrics by Cantor Lance Rhodes
This song was written about seven years ago, but this is the first time that it is being performed publicly. This song also tells a story. It’s a tale of two characters in two different unfortunate situations. The characters eventually cross paths: a girl who was stood up and a guy working as a clown with a painted smile that really hides his sadness. The song leaves us with a message: If you fall, find a way to pick yourself up. Overcoming obstacles in life has the potential to be very rewarding if you allow yourself to be open to the reward. Living With Miracles (2007) Lyrics by Cantor Lance Rhodes
Miracles bring hope our way, and we see them every day! Loving You (2010) Lyrics by Cantor Lance Rhodes
This song was written for my wife, Dena. I performed it for the first time during our wedding ceremony in the Brith Shalom sanctuary.
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Medley:Time Flies, Sending Us Through,The Next Journey (2001-03) Lyrics by Jeffrey Rhodes, Cantor Lance Rhodes, and Rabbi S. David Kane
These three songs are being performed as a medley for the first time tonight. Time Flies begins this medley with the symbolism of an alarm clock going off. We are soon transported in time by the work for piano solo, Sending Us Through. The song’s rhythm suggests the weight of a giant pendulum going back and forth, like a time machine getting ready to transport us into The Next Journey. The Next Journey is in a style known as “minimalist,” which features the reiteration of a musical phrase made up of just a few notes. The phrase goes through stages and transformations and continues for the entirety of the piece, representing the everlasting journey. Hence, even when you do not hear the piano repeating the thematic phrase, it is still there. The Next Journey: A closer look at the meaning Our souls share their energies with everything and everything is a part of our souls. We travel together and apart, each on journey after journey. We struggle with the familiar and the unfamiliar, with the light and the dark. Through our best selves, we find the strength to overcome, to persevere to move on. We glean from each journey the vital essence of the experience, making it part of us wondering all the while, will there always be a next journey? The song opens with a repeated musical phrase representing the soul that encounters obstacles that may help it or cause conflict. The soul manages to retain its form and grows in strength.
We Will Survive (2002) Lyrics by Rabbi S. David Kane
This song was featured at the 9-11 Memorial Service held at the University of Miami in 2002.
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Acknowledgements Thank you to all of our Congregation Brith Shalom Benefactors.Your generosity and support has allowed us to reach new heights in our own journey as a synagogue and community. This concert was created as a way to thank you. Special thanks go to Alan and Etna Goldsmith for sponsoring tonight’s event and to David and Julie Pomerantz for chairing it. My great thanks to Rabbi Teller, Larry Estes, Cantor Levine and the rest of the Brith Shalom staff; Milton Mosk, Allan Goldstein, and the rest of our officers and our Board of Trustees; Tim Leatherwood and Anderson Fair for hosting us tonight; Debi Mishael for her beautiful decorations and center pieces; my loving wife, Dena, for all of her support and guidance; my parents for all of their love and years of traveling to my every performance just the way they have flown from Florida for this concert; my parents-in-law, Al and Marsha, for all of their support; and all of my song-writing partners for helping me make music.
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Short Biography
Cantor Lance Rhodes was born in Fairfax,VA, but lived in Ormond Beach, FL for most of his life. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Miami in 2003. Beginning in August of 2004, Cantor Rhodes attended the H. L. Miller Cantorial School at the Jewish Theological Seminary. During his years at JTS, he served as a student cantor for many different synagogues including Temple Beth El in Oakhurst, NJ, Congregation Sons of Israel in Nyack, NY, Congregation B’nai Torah in Ormond Beach, FL, the Midway Jewish Center in Syosset, NY, and Temple Israel in Daytona Beach, FL. Cantor Rhodes was invested as a hazzan and received his Master’s degree in Sacred Music from JTS in May of 2009. He is excited to continue his journey as the cantor for Congregation Brith Shalom. He now lives happily with his loving wife, Dena, whom he met during the High Holy Days of his first year at Brith Shalom. In addition to leading bands in Miami, New York City, and Houston, Cantor Rhodes has written music or performed for the following organizations: