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 Dmitriy Savon, 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 ensemble of 30 singers. It is a well-known amateur choir in Jerusalem, having performed under the baton of Noa Burshtein for 15 years.
The choir’s repertoire spans a wide range of genres, from classical to jazz, Israeli compositions (including works for choir and orchestra), and artistic arrangements of Israeli and international folk songs. Several years ago, the choir presented the world premiere of Neta Aloni’s “Im Titen Li Helki” (If You Give Me My Share), set to the poetry of Leah Goldberg.
The choir performs regularly in public concerts, festivals, choral assemblies, and community benefit events, appearing in traditional concert halls as well as in churches, synagogues, and open-air venues.
Past conductors of the Bel Canto Choir include Noa Burshtein, Salome Rebello, Assaf Benraf, Liora Cohen, Alex Wasserman, and Daria Golovashkin. Since September 2026, the choir’s conductor and musical director has been Dimitri Savon, accompanied by pianist Rina Shechter.
2026–2027 Season Repertoire The season’s repertoire spans choral literature from the 16th century to the present day, structured into an annual core program alongside an expanded winter program. The historical core features sacred polyphony from the Late Renaissance and Early Baroque periods (Victoria, Palestrina, Schütz), liturgical works from the Classical era (the Kyrie and Sanctus from Cherubini’s Requiem in C minor), and four-part secular a cappella works of German Romanticism (Mendelssohn’s Four Songs, Op. 100). The contemporary section highlights homophonic textures, extended harmonies, and modern rhythms, featuring a cappella works by Rutter, Ticheli, Gjeilo, and Poorman, alongside the full Latin liturgy set with jazz idioms in Chilcott’s A Little Jazz Mass. The winter program expands to include choral settings of American music and spirituals (Copland, Deep River), as well as Israeli/Jewish vocal music featured in a choral arrangement of the traditional piyyut Yefe Nof.
The Women’s Choir
About the Oratorio Women’s Choir
By Rinatya Nissim and Anat Shabo-Perlmutter
The Women’s Choir is the newest ensemble in Oratorio, yet comprises its most veteran members. The choir currently counts 23 singers.
The ensemble has been active since early 2025, formed through the merger of two of the five choirs within the greater Oratorio organization: the “Oratorio Singers” choir and the “Cantabile” women’s choir.
Over the past year, the choir was co-directed by two conductors, Talia Kirsh and Rinatya Nissim. The choir is now directed by Rinatya Nissim, with Rina Shechter serving as the piano accompanist.
Choir Vision
The choir united around a shared love for choral singing and a commitment to performing high-caliber classical vocal music. The goal is to perform canonical classical repertoire that is both challenging and tailored to an amateur ensemble level. Veteran members fondly recall the early days of Oratorio and strive to continue along the path established by the late founder, Yehuda Fickler.
Choir Activities
Each year, the choir holds an annual end-of-year concert, participates in the greater Oratorio annual gala concert, and performs in community outreach concerts.
In June 2026, the choir presented Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater for the second time, featuring soloists Avishag Haetzni (soprano) and Shahar Bracha (mezzo-soprano) at Christ Church in the Immanuel compound. This work was also performed the previous year, in July 2025, amidst the war, with soloists Liam Beck (soprano) and Shahar Bracha (mezzo-soprano).
Additionally, in 2025, the choir premiered an original arrangement by Talia Kirsh for choir and instruments of the song “Ksher Or Dolek BeHaloncha” (When a Light Burns in Your Window), featuring guest instrumental soloists Eitan Kirsh (double bass) and Tamar Kornhendler (flute).
As part of its community outreach initiatives, the choir recently performed concerts at the “Bereshit” assisted living facility (2026), the Gilo residence for individuals with disabilities (2025), and the community garden at the Jerusalem Natural History Museum complex (2024).
Upcoming Plans
For the main concert in June 2027, the choir plans to perform Vivaldi’s Gloria, in an arrangement for women’s choir. Full details will be announced closer to the event in the “Oratorio Choir” WhatsApp group and on the “Jerusalem Oratorio Choir” Facebook page.