Kolot HaYam is a weekend-long beachfront Jewish choral festival featuring skill-building workshops, a celebration of Shabbat and a vibrant musical competition. Kolot HaYam enables participating schools to compete in a traditional choral competition while observing Shabbat and enjoying Glatt Kosher meals. We invite all Jewish high school choirs to attend this pluralistic event full of singing, ruach, and community building!
Recently named one of Jewish Week’s “36 Under 36” millennials changing the face of the Jewish community, Mike Boxer is Producer of the annual Jewish Performing Arts Festival and bi-annual Best of Jewish A Cappella CD series. He is founder of Halfway Coherent Productions, and founder and director of award-winning professional groups Six13 and One Guy Upstate. An arranger of more than 250 a cappella arrangements performed by dozens of groups worldwide, Mike also hosts the KolCast, a monthly podcast dedicated to Jewish a cappella.
Ilan “The Aleph Bass” Brownstein started beatboxing in high school during his long walks to synagogue, and hasn’t stopped since. Ilan joined Y-Studs A Cappella two years ago and has travelled to Canada, Switzerland, Germany (twice) and across America to perform. You’ve most likely seen Ilan’s recent audition on this past season of America’s Got Talent, where he and his beatboxing partner made it to the second round. Since then, Ilan has been performing at schools, camps, concerts and everywhere in between. For Ilan, beatboxing is more than just making cool sounds or blowing people’s minds, it’s a way of life.
Lisa J. Kasdan is a singer, voice teacher and attorney from New Jersey. She performs about five times per month in both private and public gigs. She gives voice lessons weekly. She is also the acting cantor for her Jewish community, Sha’ar Communities, in Bergen County, New Jersey. Lisa believes that there's always room for all of your passions, you just have to make the space. She is excited to be a judge for the second year in a row at the Kolot Competition. Good luck to all and have fun!
Jacob “Spike” Kraus, a singer/songwriter from Boston, MA, released his first secular studio EP, ‘The King’s Beanie EP, and is currently touring his first full-length studio album, “Shake Off The Dust,” which dropped in April 2015. He graduated from Muhlenberg College with a degree in Music Performance and has been song leading for over a decade at synagogues, day schools, and summer camps. A member of the Jewish A Cappella group Six13, JSK believes in music’s power as a community-builder.
Jamie Mittleman is a singer, actor, and writer living in New York City. After beginning her a cappella journey at Binghamton University, Jamie has continued singing with Cadence, a New York City-based a cappella group. Most recently, she created and starred in a web series. Jamie is currently continuing her artistic development at William Esper Studio. She has been a part of Kolot HaYam since its inception and cannot wait for another beautiful weekend full of music!
April Peters is a soul-stirring songwriter and recording artist with a driving passion to help women and children find freedom and discover their value in God. With the help of a Grammy-nominated producer, April released her debut EP, Early Bloomer, to raise awareness about domestic violence and the power of forgiveness. She has performed in Europe, West Africa for Liberia's children scarred after civil war, and throughout the United States. Hailed by Monarch Magazine for being "a person empowering others to become exceptional” and featured on FOX’s Good Day Philadelphia, April is releasing her 2nd EP, Fly.
Mordy Weinstein has been a fixture of the Jewish music scene for years, currently as a member of the award-winning a cappella group, Six13. Through writing, arranging, producing, and managing, Mordy has traveled the world, from the US to Austria, New Zealand, and South Africa. In addition to singing with groups, Mordy leads Shabbat services in various countries and cities, teaches music, and runs a mobile recording studio, where he works with countless musicians. He believes that through strengthening Jewish music, we can empower smaller, more remote Jewish communities around the globe.
Natalie did prerecords in the ensemble for the upcoming Hugh Jackman movie musical, The Greatest Showman, based on the life of P.T. Barnum, with original music by Pasek and Paul. She can also be heard in the ensemble on the Original Broadway Cast recording of Dear Evan Hansen. Natalie was an American Idol season 4 semi-finalist, but is most well known for her Youtube videos which have gained an international following & and her popular web series, "Breaking Down The Riffs", which have collectively reached over 3 million views. Check out her self-titled EP on iTunes.
