Ehud (Udi) Spielman (Hebrew: אהוד (אודי) שפילמן) (born on December 4, 1951) is an Israeli singer and

Hazzan A ''hazzan'' (; , lit. Hazan) or ''chazzan'' ( he, חַזָּן , plural ; Yiddish ''khazn''; Ladino ''Hasan'') is a Jewish musician or precentor trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer. In English, this pr ...

. He came to Chazzanut (Cantorial music) after a long career as a singer and performer in Israel. He has published several CDs and DVDs and his music is featured in the Florida Atlantic University Judaica Sound Archives and will soon also be in the Dartmouth Jewish Sound Archives.

Early life

Udi Spielman was born in 1951 in

Tel-Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

. He is the great-grandson of Zerach Barnett, a

Zionist Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת ''Tsiyyonut'' after ''Zion'') is a nationalist movement that espouses the establishment of, and support for a homeland for the Jewish people centered in the area roughly corresponding to what is known in Je ...

activist, settling first

Petah Tikva Petah Tikva ( he, פֶּתַח תִּקְוָה, , ), also known as ''Em HaMoshavot'' (), is a city in the Central District (Israel), Central District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv. It was founded in 1878, mainly by Haredi Judaism, Haredi Jews of ...

and the initiator and founder of Neve Shalom Tel-Aviv. Both of Spielman's grandfathers were cantors. Spielman studied at

HaKfar HaYarok HaKfar HaYarok ( he, הכפר הירוק; "The Green Village") is a youth village in Israel, located in southern Ramat HaSharon, along the northern border of Tel Aviv-Yafo. Name Gershon Zak, the founder of the village, called it in 1950 "Green ...

, an agricultural high school. After graduation, he entered the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the Israel, State of Israel. It consists of three servic ...

(IDF) and served as a soloist and singer in the

Israeli Air Force Band The Israeli Air Force Band (IAF Band) ( he, להקת חיל האוויר) is the principal musical ensemble of the Israeli Air Force, a service branch of the Israel Defense Force (IDF). History The Israeli Air Force Band was established in May 1 ...

Pop Music career

Following his honorable discharge from the IDF, Spielman recorded songs as a soloist. In 1978, Spielman performed the song "Nesich haChlomot" (נסיך החלומות, Dream Prince), better known as "Valentino" along with Zvi Bums and

Gali Atari Gali Atari ( he, גלי עטרי; born December 29, 1953) is an Israeli singer and actress. Atari won the Eurovision Song Contest 1979 which was held in Jerusalem, as part of Milk and Honey. Early life Atari was born in Rehovot, Israel, to Jewi ...

, at the Festival Hazemer Ha'ivri (Israel Song Festival), the Israeli qualification heat for the

Eurovision The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

Song Contest. The song placed third. Spielman then created the band "Afifon" (Kite), which appeared in the 1980 Israel Song Festival performing the song "1980" (lyrics by Jacob Gilad, music by

Yehudit Ravitz Yehudit Ravitz ( he, יהודית רביץ; born December 29, 1956) is an Israeli singer-songwriter, multidisciplinary artist, composer and music producer. She is one of the most successful and famous Israeli rock musicians, with a career spannin ...

). In the same year, he appeared in the Chassidic Song Festival, and recorded two songs for their album of the same name. Later he founded the "Udi Spielman Band" which was Israel's most acclaimed and successful pop orchestra for twenty years performing both in Israel and abroad, and became the house band for Israel's first commercial TV channel for the Israel Broadcasting Services.

Cantorial career

In 2000, Spielman retired his performing groups in order to study Chazzanut. He studied at and graduated from the Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute (TACI), administered by Cantor

Naftali Hershtik Naftali Herstik ( he, נפתלי הרשטיק) (born 1947) is a well known ''chazzan'' (cantor) and teacher. He was born in Salgótarján, Hungary and came with his family to Israel at the age of three. He is descended from a long line of Hazzan, ...

, the Chief Cantor of the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem. Afterwards, Herstik referred Spielman to another teacher, who put him in touch with the greatest cantorial pianist, Raymond Goldstein. Chaim Feifel also added much to Udi's education as well. Besides his Cantorial services as a Hazzan, Udi has also performed in Cantorial concerts with the most highly regarded Hazzanim of our time. He also previously served as Artistic Director for the Concert Series of B’nai Torah Congregation, the largest

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

Synagogue in the SE United States. Since beginning his cantorial career, Spielman has launched one solo Cantorial CD (Seven – Voice and Spirit) and two liturgical music CDs (A still Small Voice and Set Me as a Seal) with his wife, Varda Noga Spielman, former singer with the Northern Command and the popular 80's girl's band Sexsta, as well as a concert DVD in 2012.

Discography

* 2004 Seven Voice and Spirit * 2008 A Still Small Voice * 2008 Set me as a Seal * 2012 Udi and Varda Spielman in Concert 2012

References

External links