In the end of February 1943, Cantor Josef Grabowski was deported from Norway along with 157 fellow Jews. Most of them were from Central- and Northern Norway. Grabowski hadd arrived in Norway just a couple years before - seeking refuge from Nazism in Germany. He brought with him a classical music and cantor education, as well as a beautiful singing voice.

Josef had a rich cultural heritage, influenced by the German-Romantic, the Eastern-Yiddish, and the Jewish-Liturgical. For that reason, Josef was hired to do many different gigs in Trondheim. Weddings and classical concerts, in addition to his work as a cantor (religious singer) and cheider (Jewish school) teacher. After the arrests of Jews in Trondheim, Josef was sent to Falstad prison camp. In the camp, he was forced by German guards to sing for them. In Julius Paltiel's book it is described like this: "In the middle of this hell, we hear his clear tenor. In a perverse moment, prisoners and prison guards feel a kinship within the music." Josef Grabowski was later sent to Auschwitz and killed, March 3 1943.

We invite you to a musical concert in the synagogue, where we wish to honour this cultural heritage - and breathe life in to the music that Grabowski had close to his heart. We have gathered to two experienced musicians Tor-Petter Aanes and Morten Michelsen, who have interpreted a selection of works from Grabowski's own briefcase of sheet music. We will hear a diverse set of expressions, from romantic lieds, to klezmer tunes and Jewish liturgical songs - in Yiddish, German and French.

Educator Eirik Wicklund from the Jewish Museum Trondheim will hold a talk on Josef Grabowski's life and history. The talk will be in Norwegian.

Everyone who wishes to attend is very welcome.

Tor-Petter Aanes is a musician, composer, choir leader and orchestra conductor. He has a classical song education from NTNU and the University of Tromsø. Aanes has been a part of several international productions, such as with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic. As a founding member of Urban Tunélls Klezmerband, he has toured large parts of Europe and the States, and released several records. The klezmerband's next project will be on NRK's Store Studio, with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra.

Morten Michelsen is a clarinetist with an education from the Norwegian Academy of Music and the Conservatoire National de Versailles. He is currently employed by the Staff Band of the Norwegian Armed Forces. Michelsen has wide ranging experience as a musician and musical director, working on productions with the National Theatre, the National Traveling Theatre, Oslo Nye Teater, the Oslo Philharmonic and the Norwegian Radio Orchestra. Michelsen is along with Aanes a founding member of Urban Tunélls Klezmerband.

Place: The Synagogue / Jewish Museum Trondheim, Arkitekt Christies gate 1B

Date and time: Sunday February 23, 18.00 / 6 PM

Tickets can be preordered via this link: https://jmt.hoopla.no/event/gr... or can be bought upon arrival.