How our story began…
Inspiration for starting
Shir Harmony
I have often been asked what my inspiration was for starting Shir Harmony. A few years earlier, I had been ready to retire after a lifetime of love and “commitment to perfection” to teaching, performing, and conducting. The decision was made after my 15th year as Artistic Director of a Jewish youth choir called The Renanim Youth Singers. We had a final concert with alumni included, performing our top hits, singing with joy and laughter amidst the tearful farewells. All my friends and family were there… everyone except my son. He was conspicuously missing.
Where was he?!?!
As it turns out, he too, was busy that day, asking the love of his life, his b’shert, to marry him.
What blissful timing this was - a wonderful new adventure for me of love and of planning a wedding that would fill the aching void in my heart. My job was to focus on the ceremony by arranging two songs chorally that would accompany the bride and groom down the aisle. I then intertwined these two pieces as the bride encircled the groom under the chuppah, musically uniting their love and our families together. This labour of love also reignited my Neshamah, my Jewish musical soul.
And with that, Shir Harmony was born in the spring of 2017!
We are a new musical community consisting of experienced, skillful, and dedicated adult vocalists who are passionate about singing, united in song as we joyfully enhance community life through our performances. Together, we share love and understanding of the art form, replete, once again, with endless joy and laughter.
It just doesn’t get better than this!!
Susan Michaels
