Huntsville concert in memory of Cantor Kunitz

The Huntsville Community Chorus will honor the memory of Cantor Sharon Kunitz with a presentation of Arthur Honegger’s “King David” on April 26 at Trinity United Methodist Church.

Kunitz was a long-time member of HCC and sang in numerous chorus concerts. She was in many chorus musicals, including “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Hello Dolly” and “Music Man” with members of her family. She starred as Mabel in “Pirates of Penzance.”

She was choir director and cantorial soloist at Temple B’nai Sholom for many years prior to attending the Hebrew Union College to pursue a career as a Cantor. She is believed to be the first native Alabamian to be ordained as a cantor at HUC-JIR.

While in cantorial school, she had an internship with the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, Temple B’nai B’rith in Kingston, Pa., and The Jewish Home and Hospital in the Bronx. Upon graduation she was named the Cantor at Temple Ohev Sholom in Harrisburg, Pa.

During a visit to Huntsville where she was to be honored by B’nai Sholom last May, she died suddenly.

There will be a pre-concert discussion at 6:45 p.m, with B’nai Sholom Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar speaking about the story of King David and HCC Conductor Billy Orton discussing the musical aspects of the concert.

Jeff Lapidus will narrate the concert, and a special “B’Yado Afkid Ruchi” composition by Cantor Kunitz will be performed by Paul Kunitz and Marcia Bouska.

The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available from the HCC office. The concert is also in memory of Janet Turvey, wife of the late Ken Turvey, who was a long-time HCC director. She died last August.