Meet David Shukiar
The music of David Shukiar has been heard in synagogues, concert halls (including multiple performances at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York) and theatres all over North America and in Israel and in HBO's The Rehearsal (season 1, episode 5). David has twice been awarded the Guild of Temple Musicians Young Composers Award, an honor shared by only four other composers in the history of this prestigious award. He has enjoyed commissions from cantors and synagogues from across the United States, Canada and Israel, including a commission from the American Conference of Cantors and the Guild of Temple Musicians to help dedicate a new building at Beit Daniel, a Reform community in Tel Aviv. David has enjoyed being the composer and conductor-in-residence for the Atlanta Choral Festival in addition to various synagogues around the country. As a composer of musical theatre, David’s most notable works include Make Believe, a two-time winner of the Burdette Fitzgerald Memorial Award for Theatre for Young Audiences, Benjamin and Judah, a musical about the story of Chanukah, which premiered in New York and has been performed on both the East and West coasts, including two successful productions at Temple Adat Elohim and at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, and Louisa Mae Alcott’s Little Women, The Musical, winner of the Y.E.S. Festival of New Works at Northern Kentucky University. As an arranger, David has worked with many different ensembles, helping to create music that gives each group a unique voice. In addition to publishing many of his choral pieces, Transcontinental Music Publications, the largest publisher of Jewish Music in the world, has published, Klei Zemer, a book of David’s arrangements for synagogue ensembles for Shabbat. David is also an accomplished music director, having shared his talents with CBS Television, Anita Mann Productions, Holland America and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and various synagogues in the Los Angeles area. For the past 17 years David has served in the cantorial office at Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks, CA. Here he has built a unique and successful music program spanning many generations. His musical forces include the TAE Chorale, a 25 voice choir of all temple members, the Band of Milk and Honey, a 10 piece instrumental ensemble of all temple members, the TAE Symphony Orchestra, a 30+ instrumental ensemble of all temple members, the Junior Cantors and Shirei Elohim, a junior choir. He also currently serves as president of the Guild of Temple Musicians, having held many board positions in the past including facilitating the Ben Steinberg Young Composer's Award, the Shomeir Shirah Award and the Generation to Generation High School Songwriting Award.
The Music of David Shukiar, ASCAP
Choral Music
Elevating your spiritual experiences
David believes that the language of music helps to connect us to our sacred texts in a much more meaningful way. His love and passion for Jewish choral music has led him to become one of today's most respected composers in this genre. He has twice been awarded the Guild of Temple Musicians Young Composer's Award and his choral works have been performed all over the world including Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. Many of his choral pieces are published through Transcontinental Music Publications, the largest publisher of Jewish music in the world. To see a listing of David's choral works, click the link below.
Commissioning Original Works
Your vision come to life
David has enjoyed commissions from cantors and synagogues all over the world. With each commission David learns as much as he can about your community in order to create a truly personal piece of music. Whether you are looking for a solo work with piano accompaniment, or an orchestral composition David will work with you to see your vision come to life. To learn more, click the link below.
Instrumental and Choral Arrangements
Catered to your community
David has had the pleasure to work with many different ensembles of musicians and singers of varying abilities. His arrangements are catered to your specific needs and to the specific abilities of your players and singers to help you develop your community's unique voice. David regularly arranges music for soloists, choirs, instrumental ensembles (including klezmer music) and orchestras of all ability levels. David's arrangements have been published by Transcontinental Music Publications, the largest publisher of Jewish music in the world. David has personally arranged more than 300 pieces of Jewish music. Click the link below to see a listing of David's arrangements. Please contact him directly to discuss a special commission creating arrangements for your community.
Composer/Conductor in Residence
Special programs for your community
David has been honored to be a Composer/Conductor in Residence for many communities across the country, including the Atlanta Choral Festival and Shabbat Shira in Minneapolis. Whether it is a concert, a service, classes or any combination, David is a dynamic teacher, speaker, singer and conductor that can add meaning to any event in your community. Each program is personally catered to the needs of your community. Click the link below for more information.
Musicals and Purim Shpiels
Productions that create community
David has a deep love for musical theatre. He has written both secular and Jewish musicals, including Louisa Mae Alcott's Little Women, the Musical, winner of the Y.E.S. Festival of New Works at Northern Kentucky University, Make Believe, 2 time winner of the Burdette Fitzgerald Memorial Award for Theatre for Young Audiences and Benjamin and Judah, a musical about the story of Chanukah that has been produced on both the east and west coasts. His original Purim Shpiels have been produced in synagogues across the United States and in Canada and are known for their originality and humor while telling the story of Purim. He is most known for Chamilton, a shpiel that parodies the Broadway hit Hamilton, and Shushan Shlepper's Purim Chai Club Band, a shpiel that is set to well known (and less well known) Beatles tunes. For more information about David's musical theatre works and Purim Shpiels, please click the link below. To view videos of past productions, please see below.
Theatrical Productions and Purim Shpiels
Theatrical Productions and Purim Shpiels
Mamma Gilah! March 23, 2024
Chamilton 2023
QUEEN! A Purimiam Rhapsody EDITED
Shushan Shlepper's Purim Chai Club Band, 2019
