“Cantor Natasha (Jitomirskaia) Hirschhorn first became interested in Jewish music during her studies at the Gnesin Music College in Moscow. After graduating from college with Honors Diploma in musicology, piano and composition, she continued her education at the Kiev State Conservatory. Deepening her involvement in Judaism, Natasha also collaborated with the Kiev Jewish Youth Musical Theater as pianist, singer, and, later, its music director. The success of their four-women-show performances throughout Ukraine was embittered by the hostility both from the anti-Semitic Ukrainian authorities and the ultra-Orthodox rabbis. In 1992 Natasha’s quest for a more comprehensive Jewish education has brought her to Washington, D.C., where for three years she studied privately with cantors and rabbis from the area, including Cantors Sue Roemerand Sharon Steinberg. In May 1999 Natasha has completed her studies at the Academy for Jewish Religion, the only non-denominational Rabbinic and Cantorial Seminary, and was ordained as Hazzan and Teacher in Israel.…
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American. Composer, songleader, cantorial soloist, choir director and music educator. Born and grew up in Baldwin, NY, graduated from Brown University, and has resided in Northern Virgiinia since 1977. Her music is “characterized by its lovely and singable melodies; her focus is on creating music for congregational and school use.” Ms. Leon is the current and founding director of several Jewish youth and adult choirs in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, coordinates Northern Virginia’s annual Jewish choral festival called “NoVaShir,” and teaches and leads Jewish music at several area schools and synagogues. Her works include “Family Shabbat” (with CD, 2000), “Jewish Life Cycle” (2002), “Gan Shirim: 70 New Jewish Songs for Children” (with double-CD, published by KTAV Publshing House in 2004), and “A Healing Service In Song” (DVD, 2005).…
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Dutch pianist and composer. Born February 19, 1888, Amsterdam. Died May 27, 1949, Laren, the Netherlands. She survived WWII by going into hiding, but also gave clandestine concerts presenting works by Jewish composers. Musicologist Dr. Melissa De Graaf has written a biographical sketch of Rosy Wertheim for the Jewish Music WebCenter, which can be viewed here as a pdf file.

Dr. De Graaf’s work is copyrighted. Pleasecontact JMWC if you need more information about the use of this article. This portrait of Rosy Wertheim is from the online exhibits of the Joods Historisch Museum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.