Choirs
Oratorio is home to four choirs that operate under joint management, collaborating in various projects throughout the year, culminating in the annual Gala Concert. Collectively and individually, the Oratorio choirs perform around 20 concerts each year in Israel and abroad.
The member choirs are:
The Women’s Choir, conducted by Rinatia Nassim, The Chamber Choir, conducted by Assaf Benraf, Bel Canto, conducted by Daria Goloushkin, Capellata, conducted by Naama Natzrati Gordon
Capellatte
The Capellatte Choir was founded in 2006 by Shelly Berlinsky. The choir started with eight singers and has grown to about thirty members. From the very start it has been an eye-catching combination of performers with a love of music and song who come from a wide variety of backgrounds – some have a great deal of experience in choral singing, whereas for others this is their first experience and acquaintance with the world of music. A wide range of ages has also helped to create an unexpected potpourri with a lot of spice and joy. The choir’s repertoire consists of madrigals from the late Renaissance, arrangements of Hebrew songs and Jewish melodies, and a combination of Gospel, jazz and folksongs.
In 2008 the ensemble participated in a production of the children’s opera, “The Story of the Note Sol,” which was composed by Shaul Bustan. In 2015, the choir participated in a revival of the first Hebrew opera, “Dan HaShomer,” by Marc Lavry; this was a joint production of the music department of the National Library and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, conducted by Michael Klinghoffer. The choir took part in the Jerusalem Arts Festival during the years 2014-18. In 2018, the Capellatte Choir performed “Messiah” by G.F. Handel in the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra vocal series, conducted by Sir Nicholas McGegan from England. From 2007 to 2012, the choir performed under the aegis of the Gonenim Music Center, and in October 2012, it became a participating member of the Jerusalem Oratorio Choir. Naama Nazarathy Gordon has been the conductor of the Capellatte Choir since 2014.
Oratorio Chamber Choir
The Oratorio Jerusalem Chamber Choir consists of about 25 singers. The choir performs numerous concerts each year in Jerusalem and throughout Israel. It has participated in prestigious festivals in Israel, including the Israel Festival, the Liturgica Festival, the Abu Gosh Festival, the Israel Music Festival, and Haifa’s Holiday of Holidays Festival.
Its repertoire spans a wide range—from the Renaissance to the present day—featuring sacred and secular classical music from around the world, Israeli music, and folk songs in various languages.
In 2015, the choir took part in a special project with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, performing Leonard Bernstein’s Kaddish together with three other choirs, featuring actor Richard Dreyfuss and conducted by Steven Mercurio (USA). In October 2016, the choir performed The Song of Deborah by Israeli composer Yedidya Admon at the Israel Music Festival, with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Yoav Talmi.
During the 2017–2018 season, the choir sang Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and the Monteverdi Choir of Hamburg, took part in a production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute with the Jerusalem Opera, and premiered The Secret Intention by Israeli composer Eitan Steinberg—a work for three mixed choirs, three children’s choirs, and percussion ensemble, conducted by Maestro Andres Mustonen.
The Chamber Choir has represented Israel in various international projects. It performed at the Festival of Liturgical Music in Valencia, Spain (1999), and at the Maggio Musicale Festival in Florence (2000). In 2006, it participated in the unique project D’Une Seule Voix (“With One Voice”)—a two-week tour in France with Israeli and Palestinian musicians.
Between 2008–2014, in a long-standing collaboration with the Zamir Choir of Bayreuth, Germany, the Chamber Choir performed with the Nuremberg Philharmonic, the German Radio Orchestra, and other ensembles, at the United Nations General Assembly Halls in New York and Geneva, marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day with works by contemporary composer Yitzhak Tavior. In July 2017, under the baton of Kate Belshé, the choir represented Israel and Jerusalem at the European Festival of Jewish Choral Music in St. Petersburg.
The choir’s CD The Seventh Gate (recorded in 2004 under Maestro Ronen Borshevsky), featuring Jewish and Christian sacred music, won the prestigious international Charles Cros Academy “Orphée d’Or” Award in Paris in 2007.
Past conductors of the Chamber Choir include Kate Belshé and Dor Magen. Since September 2023, the choir’s conductor and musical director has been Assaf Benraf. The choir is accompanied by pianist Eliyahu Svetov.
Bel Canto
The Bel Canto Choir is a mixed choir of 40 singers, and one of Jerusalem’s best-known amateur choirs. For 15 years, it performed under the baton of Noa Borshtein.
The choir’s repertoire spans a wide range of genres—from classical to jazz and Israeli works (including orchestral–choral compositions)—as well as artistic arrangements of Israeli and international folk songs. A few years ago, the choir premiered Neta Aloni’s composition “If You Grant Me My Share”, set to a poem by Leah Goldberg.
The choir regularly performs in public concerts, festivals, conferences, and community benefit events—in traditional concert halls as well as in churches, synagogues, and open-air venues.
Past conductors of Bel Canto include Noa Borshtein, Salome Rebelo, Assaf Benraf, Liora Cohen, and Alex Wasserman. Since October 2023, the choir’s conductor and musical director has been Daria Goloushkin.
The choir is accompanied by pianist Rina Shechter.
The Women’s Choir
The Women’s Choir is the newest ensemble within Oratorio, comprising the organization’s most veteran members. The choir consists of 20 singers. It was founded at the beginning of 2025 as the result of a merger between two of the five Oratorio choirs: Zemerei Oratorio and the women’s choir Cantabile.
During the past year, the choir was jointly led by two conductors, Talia Kirsch and Rinatia Nassim. It is currently conducted by Rinatia Nassim, with Rina Shechter as pianist and accompanist.
Vision
The choir was founded out of a shared love for singing together, with the aim of performing classical vocal music at a high standard. Its aspiration is to perform canonical classical repertoire that is both challenging and suitable for amateur singers. Veteran members still remember Oratorio’s early days and are committed to continuing along the path laid out by its founder, the late Yehuda Fickler.
Activities
Each year, the choir presents an annual end-of-year concert, participates in Oratorio’s annual Gala Concert, and performs in community benefit events.
In July 2025, amid the war, the choir performed Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with soloists Liyam Beck (soprano) and Shahar Bracha (mezzo-soprano). The concert also featured the premiere of an original arrangement by Talia Kirsch for choir and instruments of the song When a Light Shines in Your Window, with guest instrumental soloists Eitan Kirsch (double bass) and Tamar Kornhendler (flute).
As part of its community outreach, the choir held a moving concert this year at the Gilo Residence for the Disabled. In the previous year (2024), the choir gave a festive performance in the community garden of the Nature Museum complex in Jerusalem.
Future Plans
The 2025–2026 season will culminate in a concert featuring the complete performance of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with female soloists. The concert is planned for May or June 2026.