Carol Kozak Ward MMus ’85 Devoted to Music with a Mission. “Raisins & Almonds”: a Tu B’Shvat Celebration

When Carol Kozak Ward MusM ’85 founded the Colorado Hebrew Chorale in 1993, there were no choirs in the state dedicated to Jewish music. Her dream was to showcase this rich musical tradition with community service as an integral component.  Consisting of amateur singers of all backgrounds and identities, the chorale built upon their success by launching Kol Nashim (“Women’s Voices) twenty years later. Using music to build bridges, both groups have developed repertoires and programs to advance a more civil and just society, often collaborating with area organizations.

On Sunday, January 27th, both groups with perform at the Hebrew Educational Alliance, 3600 South Ivanhoe Street, Denver, starting at 5:00 pm with a reception: “Raisins & Almonds: a Tu B’Shvat Celebration” is a concert program in recognition of International Holocaust Remembrance Day (dinner option as well as a silent auction). Kozak and her Kol Nashim colleague Leah Peer have selected music  grounded in the human strength of spirit, which is previewed by music critic Betsy Schwarm. Singing with the CHC is tenor Seth Ward ’74 PhD ’84, who served as our expert at the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition last summer,  and bass Fred Karp ’70, who manages Service/Colorado Yale Association on Facebook.