Our Director
Hazzan Dr. Ramón Tasat
CHORAL CONDUCTOR • ARRANGER • TENOR • COMPOSER
As musical Director of Kolot HaLev, Dr. Tasat and the members of Kolot HaLev provide mutual inspiration and support to make this chorale a living, breathing work of art.
Dr. Tasat
Born in Buenos Aires, Ramòn learned Ladino, the language of the Sephardic people, at his grandmother’s knee; his style reflects the rich history and drama of this extraordinary culture.
Trained in five different countries, he received a doctorate in voice performance from the University of Texas at Austin. His doctoral dissertation is entitled “The Cantillations and Religious Poems of the Jews of Tangier, Morocco.”
In addition to television and radio appearances, Dr. Tasat has been the recipient of numerous awards including First Place at the Montpelier Cultural Arts Center’s Recital Competition and a National Endowment of the Arts’ Grant. Dr. Tasat’s lectures, workshops, and programs range from “The Music of Modern Israel” to “Echoes of Sepharad.”Cantor Tasat has toured Europe with world-renowned Dr. Robert Shaw and has participated in international festivals on both sides of the Atlantic.
Dr. Tasat has appeared in numerous opera productions including “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “Il Impressario,” and “La Traviata,” and has drawn worldwide critical as well as audience acclaim. His most notable appearances include the Kennedy Center Concert Hall; the Israeli Embassy; the Jewish Music Festival of Berkeley, California; Limmud UK, Saint Cére, France; Siena, Italy; Helsinki, Finland; Barcelona, Spain; and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival.
Ramón’s numerous recordings include Fiesta Sefarad, Trees Cry for Rain, Teshuva, Kantikas di amor i vida, a series of Sephardic duets together with the celebrated singer Flory Jagoda and his most recent, Yom She Kulo Shabbat. He has published several music books on Jewish musical subjects.
You may also visit www.ramontasat.com for more info and appearances as well as CDs and books.
“Ramòn Tasat is a gem. He sings with passion and true belcanto technique. I was also impressed by the seamless weaving of the operatic and Jewish liturgical traditions.
— Rabbi Samuel Weintraub, after attending Ramón’s “Cantata Ebraica” concert
A Selection of Videos from Hazzan Tasat
You may go to his YouTube channel: