Stephen Wise Temple and Schools are proud to officially announce the hiring of Tali Tadmor as our new Director of Music.
Tadmor will take over the position upon the retirement of Music Director David Kates at the end of this academic year. Stephen Wise Temple and Schools will celebrate Kates—who originated the position and has held it for 10 years—in a special Shabbat Evening Service on Friday, April 29, at 6:15 p.m. in Casden Chapel.
“I am honored to be continuing in David Kates’s musical legacy, and look forward to collaborating with Cantor Emma Lutz, clergy, staff, and students in helping to define what Jewish worship music and music education look like in the 21st century,” Tadmor said.
Tadmor will serve as the main music teacher for Wise School, spearheading all of our musical education programs. She will direct our High Holy Day choirs, work on compositions and commissions, and accompany our clergy at every holiday and Shabbat. As Music Director for both the temple and schools, Tadmor will have responsibilities that span both institutions, working on special programs, concerts, and recording projects to engage our entire community deeply in music and Jewish culture.
Tali Tadmor (upper right) with her wife Diane, and their children Rosie and Zach.
“Tali is a generous soul—warm, wise, creative, collaborative, and extraordinarily talented,” said Senior Cantor Emma Lutz. “She comes to us with a rich knowledge of the Hebrew language and Jewish tradition, well-versed in musical styles of every variety. I have every confidence that Tali’s talent and leadership will mark an exciting new chapter in our synagogue and school history. Together, we will continue to cherish and share the music of our rich Jewish heritage and to dream of meaningful sounds and styles for our future.”
Tadmor comes to Wise with extensive experience in music and music education.
She has served as the Music Director at Temple Judea in Tarzana for over 20 years, and is currently teaching at Cal State-Northridge (CSUN), where she chairs the Collaborative Piano program.
A gifted pianist, Tadmor has toured and recorded extensively with many Jewish worship musicians including Danny Maseng and Natalie Young, and is on the faculty at both the Academy for Jewish Religion (AJR) and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), where she helps to train the next generation of cantors. Tadmor presents regularly at local and national Jewish music conferences. In 2020, she was a featured scholar at the American Conference of Cantors-Guild of Temple Musicians annual international convention.
Alongside her career in Jewish music, and has had a rewarding career in classical music. For over a decade, she served as Assistant Conductor to Maestros Placido Domingo and James Conlon at L.A. Opera. While with the Opera, she prepared and conducted singers, choruses, and orchestras ranging from volunteer school children to international opera stars. Tadmor has performed in major concert halls including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and most major halls in Southern California.
“I know what a beautiful soul and a beautiful musician Tali is,” Kates said. “When she came in to see me and take a look at my program, and see what I had created, the two of us really felt like true kindred spirits. We both wanted the same thing out of music education. We both want the same thing out of music as a vehicle for spiritual expression and healing. We admire each other, and we really care about each other. It is a blessing that we’ve been able to find someone like Tali to succeed me.”
Born and raised in Tel Aviv, Tadmor arrived in Los Angeles in 1995. She graduated from UCLA and then USC, where she earned her master’s and doctorate in Keyboard Collaborative Arts. She currently resides in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles with her wife Diane, and their children Rosie and Zach.
Said Tadmor: “I am grateful to be joining Stephen Wise Temple and Schools, which are renowned for their robust musical traditions.”