Yonatan and the Cello

We have found all of the gifted musicians we have written about through friends. We received a recommendation; made a call; set a rehearsal date . . . this has been our usual way. However, Yonatan and his cello were G-d sent.

Two weeks ago, we attended the first conference of independent Israeli prayer communities. Someone decided to survey this emerging phenomenon and that is how we discovered that we at Nava Tehilla are not alone. There are approximately 30 prayer communities throughout Israel that have spontaneously emerged. After discovering that we are part of a wave, we decided that we ought to meet.

200 people from across Israel gathered in a JCC in Petach-Tikvah. Among them were 7 representatives of Nava Tehila. Daphna and Reb Ruth, as two of the organizers, were asked to close the conference with sacred chants. The opening was provided by representatives from “Beit Tefila,” from Tel-Aviv, and members of “The Heart’s Niggun,” from Nahalal. Yonatan Niv and his cello are part of their team. We sat at the opening and knew we had found our cellist.

By the end of the conference, we already had spent a good time singing and playing together. When it was time for us to do the closing ceremony – he was already one of us - no rehearsal was needed . . .

Our spiritual connection was immediate. Yonatan's participation in four of the tracks raised our musical bar to unprecedented heights. Zechariah could not hide his delight! After recording Yonatan playing in Yoel’s “Talk to Us,” the atmosphere was so attuned that Yoel recorded the lead voice in one take. Except for the mix, this song is finished!!

Here is the clip where Yoel and Yonatan are rehearsing their duet “Talk to Us”:

This clip was shot at rehearsal with Yoel, who wrote the song, and Yonatan and his magical cello. The cello has the quality of a human voice. This verse is about talking and listening between God and us. We were fascinated by the conversation between the instrument and the singing voice.

And if you really want to see Yonatan and friends in a sensitive, intelligent, and spectacular show go see The Flying Tower – June 30 and July 1 at Leo Model Hall.