Beny Maissner

Born in Israel, Cantor Benjamin Maissner studied with the famous Chazan Shlomo Ravitz.  He moved to the United States, serving as cantor of the Germantown Jewish Centre in Philadelphia.  He then moved to Canada, where he became the cantor and director of music at the Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto, where he has served for 28 years.

 A multi-talented singer and conductor, Cantor Maissner has mastered a variety of musical styles that range from Jewish Renaissance and early Hebrew art music to contemporary Canadian, American, and Israeli compositions.  He has been a featured performer in major concert halls internationally, including the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv, the Jerusalem Theatre, and Carnegie Hall.  As a member of the Cantors Assembly, he performed at the National Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC.

In June, 1996, Cantor Maissner performed with the San Francisco Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas.  He has also performed with the renowned Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, under the direction of Jeanne Lamon, and has been a featured soloist in Ernest Bloch’s Sacred Service several times. 

Among the most moving performances of his career was his participation in the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Bergen-Belson.  At the invitation of the Centre for Jewish Music in Hanover, Germany, he returned to his father’s home city to participate in the Reichspogromnacht Memorial Concert that commemorated Kristallnacht. 

Cantor Maissner is the founder and music director of LACHAN, The Toronto Jewish Chamber Choir, an acclaimed Jewish choral group.  Under his direction, the choir has traveled around the world, performing in Nuremburg with the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, and in Ottawa, at the Museum of Civilization.  In 2006, the choir won two silver certificates in the World Choir Olympic Games in China.

Cantor Maissner is a past president of the Toronto Council of Chazzanim, past vice-president of the American Conference of Cantors and has sat on the board of the Cantors Assembly of America.

Erik Contzius

Cantor Erik Contzius’ unique sounds beautifully reflect his relationship with the Divine, which is clearly evident in his pulpit presence and original compositions.  Cantor Contzius serves as the Cantor of Temple Israel of New Rochelle of New Rochelle, New York where he directs all musical liturgies for synagogue worship. He has composed original works for the synagogue published by Transcontinental Music Publications, as well as a large self-published catalogue.  His music also appears on several recordings, including a soon-to-be released CD of his compositions titled, teach my lips a blessing: The Music of Erik Contzius recorded with the Amor Artis Chamber Choir of New York City, as well as a solo collection of Jewish art music for both cantor and pipe organ interpretations titled, How Excellent is Thy Name.  

Cantor Contzius has performed in many distinguished solo presentations around the world, the most recent being his performance in Münich, Germany where he was invited to perform in a concert titled:  Vergessene Musik—The Forgotten Music of the German Jewish Reform Movement. He has been heard at the Leo Baeck Institute in New York City two years consecutively, performing in their Jewish Vienna and Germany concerts. Cantor Contzius also appeared on the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., performing as a soloist in a special concert titled Let Freedom Sing. He was invited to perform at the International Organ Festival of Göteborg, Sweden where he led services at the Great Synagogue of Göteborg.

Cantor Contzius is a member of the American Conference of Cantors (ACC), The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP),  the American Composers Forum (ACF), and serves as president of Kol Hazzanim—Westchester Community of Cantors.