Meir Finkelstein
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Meir Finkelstein was born in Israel in 1951, the son of a cantor. His father, the late Zvi Finkelstein, accepted a cantorial position in London, England, and the family moved there in 1955.
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[edit] Early life
Meir showed outstanding musical abilities at an early age, and along with his older brother, Aryeh, was soon accompanying their father at services. At the tender age of 14, Meir was appointed Cantor at a small synagogue in Glasgow, Scotland, thereby becoming the youngest cantor in Europe. The Finkelsteins went on to record two albums of original liturgical music, which were released in the USA.
[edit] Education
When Meir was 18, he took up the position of Cantor at one of London's most prestigious congregations, Golders Green Synagogue. While serving this congregation, he also completed his musical education, graduating from the Royal College of Music, where he received his ARCM degree in Singing, Piano and Composition.
[edit] Emigration to the USA
His talent was discovered a few years later by Beth Hillel Congregation in Wilmette, Illinois, and he subsequently emigrated to the United States. In 1982, Meir was appointed Cantor of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, California, a congregation he served for eighteen years.
[edit] Composer/Arranger
During his tenure with Sinai Temple, Meir Finkelstein composed more than one hundred settings for the liturgy while simultaneously enjoying a successful career as a Hollywood composer/arranger. Meir scored numerous television shows, including episodes of "Dallas" and "Falcon's Crest," as well as many TV Movies-of-the-Week. He collaborated with Steven Spielberg, composing music for the Visual History Foundation's award-winning documentary, "Survivors of the Holocaust."
Meir is one of the best-documented composers of contemporary Jewish music and his compositions are sung in synagogues throughout the world. In 1995, he premiered his cantata, "Liberation" -- a large-scale and moving work written for the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps -- at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles. The performance featured the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, and many well-know soloists, all hosted by Billy Crystal.
Cantor Finkelstein is also in great demand as a producer and arranger, and has collaborated on many of his colleagues' albums. He was one of the "Three Cantors," along with Alberto Mizrahi and David Propia, concertizing in the USA to sold-out audiences. Meir Finkelstein is currently the Cantor at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, Michigan.
[edit] Marriage and Family Life
Meir and his wife, Monica, have two children, Noah and Emily.
