Simanim - A Contemporary Musical Journey into the Ancient Jewish Cantillation Tradition

Simanim is a contemporary musical performance for clarinet, bass clarinet, and piano, featuring composer and clarinetist Amitai Mann and pianist and arranger Matan Serry. The preferred instrumentation includes a grand piano, alongside clarinet and bass clarinet.

The performance presents the complete musical material from the album Simanim, alongside additional original compositions that were developed for the live format. These complementary pieces did not appear on the album but form an integral part of the concert structure, significantly enriching the narrative, musical scope, and dramaturgy of the live experience.

All music performed is original and was created through an in-depth engagement with the Jewish cantillation system (te’amim), drawn from diverse traditions within the Jewish diaspora. Rather than quoting or reconstructing historical melodies, the work explores the cantillation signs as a compositional framework, shaping melodic direction, rhythmic flow, hierarchy, tension, and breath.

Simanim functions both as a concert and as a reflective artistic practice. The performance highlights the creative and compositional essence of working with inherited musical systems, positioning tradition as a living source for contemporary creation. These ideas are also articulated verbally when relevant, and further expanded through workshops and artist talks accompanying the performances.
The project has been presented in concert settings and educational contexts, and is adaptable to festivals, concert halls, and interdisciplinary platforms interested in the dialogue between tradition, innovation, and contemporary musical language.

Matan Serry - Piano, Synth
Amitai Mann - Bass Clarinet, Clarinet
Recorded at JMC (Jerusalem Music Center) by Zvika Hirschler & at Pluto Studios, Tel Aviv by Ronen Roth
Mix & Mastering by Ed Boyer
Edits and supervisions by Ori Kadishay
Artistic consultancy and video by Gil Yishai
Art design by Elad Elharar

This album was created with the support of the Pais Council for Culture and the Arts and the Independent Creators Fund of the Israeli Ministry of Culture. The release of the album is made possible through the support of ACUM’s Creation Promotion Fund.

Album (stream and download):
https://amitaimann1.bandcamp.com/albu...
All platforms: https://share.amuse.io/album/amitai-m...
Artist website:https://www.amitai-mann.com
Contact: [email protected] \\ +972-525540081