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Cantor Sheldon Merel—Biographical Sketch

   Cantor Sheldon F. Merel, 7032 Murray Park Drive San Diego, Ca   92119  
 

SHELDON F.MEREL, cantor emeritus of Congregation Beth Israel in San Diego, is a graduate of the Hebrew Union College-School of Sacred Music in New York City, and has previously served congregations in the mid-west, Oakland, California and Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. During his illustrious career, Merel has presented concerts of Jewish music throughout North America at: Notre Dame University, San Francisco Opera House, Purdue University, Stratford Music Festival (Canada), San Diego State University, Copley Symphony Hall (San Diego), and Sherwood Auditorium in La Jolla. He was guest soloist with symphony orchestras in Toronto, San Francisco, Oakland, Tulsa, Los Angeles, San Diego, and sang the cantorial chants in the Emmy Award winning documentary film, "Homage to Chagall". He was a member of the Talent Bank of the San Francisco Opera Guild, and won first place among lyric tenors in the Chicago Tribune Music Competitions

In 1987, he received the coveted "Man of the Year" award for outstanding music programming from the San Diego Jewish Community Center.  In 1991, he was soloist on a CD recording, with the Philharmonia Orchestra of London, and in 1998 received an honorary Doctor of Music from the Hebrew Union College in recognition of his many years of distinguished service as cantor plus contributions to his community.  Merel’s  latest CD, Standing Ovation, with songs recorded live-in-concert, was produced by his wife, Marcie in 1998, and includes: Broadway hits, opera, liturgical music, a Chanukah lighting ceremony, excerpts from a thrilling Passover Oratorio (sung in English), plus delightful novelty songs. The CD, Standing Ovation can be ordered on line from www.Soundwrite.com.

During World War II, Sheldon Merel graduated from the New York State Maritime Academy and sailed as an Engineering Officer in the United States Merchant Marine. After the war, he  earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the College of the City of New York before entering the cantorate. Congregation Beth Israel granted emeritus status to Cantor Merel after twelve years of outstanding service, and he continues to be an active part of the congregation.  He is a charter member of the American Conference of Cantors, and he and his wife, Marcie, (a past President of the Jewish Family Service of San Diego) have three children and two grandchildren. 

EXCERPTS FROM THE PRESS ABOUT CANTOR SHELDON F.MEREL

 
".....Cantor Sheldon Merel enthralled the crowd with his survey of Jewish music.  He displayed the soundness and ease in his vocal technique that one expects from the finest operatic and concert artist.  With these artistic assets, plus interesting commentaries and ever changing moods and rhythms, this tenor held the rapt attention of the audience and received a warm acclaim at the close."     

(Kitchner ©Waterloo Record, Ontario)

".... in the cantorial concert, one of the most vocally nimble was Sheldon Merel of Toronto's Holy Blossom Temple who executed the lovely intricately modulated V'Shamru prayer".

                                    (Globe and Mail,Toronto)

  "..... Sheldon Merel has a sense of style and authenticity to delight any audience. The evening was one of entertainment, education and identity through the music of a world we know too little about at Notre Dame."      (Notre Dame University,Indiana)                      

  ".... We could write paens about Sheldon Merel negotiating sinuous melismas with burnished elegance"                         
  (Oakland Tribune)

".... Sheldon Merel was able to interpret and also to project with excellent diction and vocalism a variety of styles from serious sacred works to the popular songs of Broadway. He opened worlds unknown to the majority of non-Jews."       (Stratford Music Festival,Ontario)

  ".....almost every idiom of music was represented; traditional Hebraic chants, dance songs of the Bible, children's melodies, songs of despair, and songs of hope from modern Israel.  Cantor Merel was positively superb!"          (Cincinnati Post, Ohio)        

"....thank you for a superb performance of the solo part in Ernest Bloch's "Sacred Service" at the East County Performing Arts Center."        (San Diego State University)