Sofia Falkovitch
Cantor (Mezzo-Soprano)
Hazzan, Extemporizer, Composer
www.sofiafalkovitch.com
Paris-based mezzo-soprano, extemporizer, composer, artistic director and producer, Sofia Falkovitch is the first female cantor (hazzan) ever trained and ordained in Europe and remains the only one in the history of France. Today she leads an active international career.
Sofia is the Official Ambassador of the European Cantors Association, jury member of international vocal competitions, festivals, artistic and spiritual committees.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Born in Moscow, Sofia studies in Israel, Germany and Canada, and is trained by sought-after voice professors and masters of Jewish music.
- Sofia is a scholarship recipient of the German National Academic Foundation Ernst-Ludwig-Ehrlich for Gifted Students. She learned Cantorial Arts at the School of Sacred Music of the Hebrew Union College and the Steinsaltz Institute in Jerusalem. She also studied at the Abraham Geiger College in Berlin and the University of Potsdam and wrote her Master’s thesis on the composer Samuel Naumbourg and his Influence on the Synagogue Music in Europe.
- Sofia is regularly invited to appear in gala concerts, recitals and officiates at public events in Paris (such as the Festival of Jewish Culture, the Museum of Jewish Art and History, Paris City Hall, art galleries), in Israel (Elma Concert Hall, Blaustein Hall Jerusalem, Masada Historic Complex), in Berlin and throughout Europe (including her appearance as the first female cantor in Luxembourg), in North America and Asia at prestigious concert halls and international festivals.
- She sings in places of worship, Cathedrals, Mosques and Synagogues representing all major branches of contemporary Judaism (such as the Imperial Cathedral in Aachen, Copernic Synagogue Paris, The Great Mosque of Strasbourg, Berlin Oranienburger Strasse Synagogue, St. Matthäus-Kirche Kulturforum Berlin; the Long Night of Religions at the Humboldt University of Berlin, the Freie University Berlin and the European Days of Jewish Culture in Freiburg).
- Sofia’s recent performances include UNESCO’s Official Ceremonies from Paris Headquarters, Official Delegation to Auschwitz-Birkenau, Historic Rumbach Synagogue in Budapest, the Sacrées Journées de Strasbourg Festival, La Madeleine Church, Oratoire du Louvre, Temple de l’Etoile and the Church of Saint-Merri in Paris, Historic Chicago Loop Synagogue (the first woman ever to sing on the bima of this Synagogue), KAM Isaiah Israel, BHBE in Chicago and the Jewish Music Festival in Brussels.
- Sofia appears in numerous Theater and TV productions, including the Russian-language production Franzuzkie Strasti (French Passions) and collaborations with Theatre “O!” in Montreal, Canada.
- She hosted the popular cultural TV program “Russian Hour”, toured with her innovative Yiddish Show “Desert Rites”, appeared at the KlezKanada Festival and worked as a journalist for RTVi Overseas Media in New York.
- She speaks French, German, English, Russian, Spanish, Hebrew and Yiddish.
