April 11, 2007 – Cantor Arianne Brown will deliver a lecture and performance entitled “Love, Life and Laughter: the Music of the Jewish Theater” on Monday, April 23 at 2 p.m. in the Dumke Recital Hall at Libby Gardner Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.

Brown is cantor at the prestigious Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, California. She has been a featured soloist at Carnegie Hall and Disney Concert Hall and her performances have received rave reviews. Recordings include The Spirit of Hannukah, Shabbas at the Shore and soon to be released Suddenly Spirited.

Brown received her bachelor’s in music education and voice at Rutgers University and her master”s in Jewish education and sacred music from the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, where she also earned her diploma of Hazzan.

Hazzan, a Hebrew word for cantor, is a Jewish musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the synagogue in songful prayer. In addition to leading congregational prayer, cantors are often required to train bar and bat mitzvah students as well as to conduct community education classes, direct religious and nursery schools or oversee adult education programs. Brown is the recipient of numerous awards for her musical talents and scholarship as well as Yiddish writing.

Brown will be accompanied by Aryell Cohen, first organist of Burbank Temple Emanu El and since 1975, the organist and choir director at the Sinai Temple in West Los Angeles.

She will also be the featured performer in a benefit concert The World of Jewish Music at Congregation Kol Ami, on April 22 at 7 p.m. For ticket information call 801-484-1501.

Brown’s performance is sponsored by the Middle East Center, Jewish Studies Program, departments of anthropology and music, and Congregation Kol Ami.

For more information on the upcoming lecture and performance call 801-581-8535 or 801-581-5003. For information on the Middle East Center at the University of Utah, contact Shari Lindsey, 801-581-6181 or shari.lindsey@hum.utah.edu.