Miami Boys Choir


The Miami Boys Choir is a contemporary Jewish religious music boys choir.

History

In the early 1970s while studying in Yeshivah in Toronto, Yerachmiel Begun created, directed, and recorded three successful albums with the Toronto Boys Choir. However, in 1976 formed by Yerachmiel Begun as well, the Miami Boys Choir was part of a larger surge in popularity of Orthodox Jewish choral music. The use of an all-boy choir is related to a common interpretation of Orthodox Jewish Law of Kol Isha which they hold prohibits males above the age of majority from listening to non- familial females singing even on audio recordings..
While the group was formed in Miami Beach, Florida, after releasing the first few albums, Begun moved the choir to New York. Although he retained the "Miami" in the name of the group, subsequent albums were released with boys primarily from the New York/New Jersey area.
Yerachmiel Begun was the composer for almost all of the songs featured on his Toronto and Miami albums. In addition, he had composed many songs for a number of other Jewish music singers and groups including Simchatone, Kol Salonika, Kol Hakavod, Camp S'dei Chemed International, Mordechai Ben David, and Ira Heller. In 1981, creating a fresh new modern sound in Jewish Music, Yerachmiel composed the songs for the group and hit album title "Judaea". At the 6th annual HASC A Time For Music concert in 1993, paying tribute to Jewish composers, Begun was listed and mentioned as one of the Top Ten Composers of Jewish Music. Yerachmiel has worked side by side with a number of arrangers for his compositions, including Yisroel Lamm, Suki Berry, Moshe Laufer, Mona Rosenblum, Hershel Lebovits, Vladimir Grinberg, and others.
Over the years, the choir's imaging has changed with the times. Originally called the "Miami Choir Boys," its name has alternated between "Miami Boys Choir" and "Yerachmiel Begun and the Miami Boys Choir." In addition, the album titles have slowly changed over time from just Hebrew titles to English and Hebrew together and finally to the present format, which places "Miami" before the title.
Compared to mainstream artists, the choir has not had spectacular results in terms of sales. However, in the Jewish music world, they are recognized as a success story. An example is their album released in 2005, Miami Revach, which reportedly sold over 15,000 copies in the first few weeks alone.

DVDs

Since very early on, the choir has released DVD and VHS versions of their live albums. In 2005, "Miami Revach" was released in High-definition video.

Prominent soloists and alumni

TitleYear releasedComments
Victory Entebbe1976
Miami Meets Toronto1978Prior to starting the Miami Boys Choir, Yerachmiel Begun lived and directed a choir in Toronto, Ontario.
Miami Live1980Contains the now classic slowly sung "Baruch Hagever" which was later more famously sung solo by Ari Goldwag at Miami Experience 2
B'Siyata Dishmaya1984Contains the first MBC hit song "B'Siyata Dishmaya"
Klal Yisroel - Together1987
Shabbos Yerushalayim1988One of the soloists, Avraham Willig, is now a Menahel Ruchani in Bircas HaTorah and in 2013 released a CD Lev Avos
Torah Today1990Contains the wedding hit "Od Yishoma" and "P'sach Libi"
Miami Experience 11991The first of the "Miami Experience" albums featuring live concerts.
Miami Experience 21992
It's Min Hashamayim1993Contains two of the most popular and lasting MBC songs; "Ani Ma'amin" and "Lo Yisa Goy".
Miami Experience 31993
Miami Experience 4 - Shiru Lo1994Contains MBC hit "Nekadesh"
One By One1995Contains MBC hits "Chasdei Hashem" and "Sunshine"
Miami Experience 5199515,000 people attended the Miami Experience 5 concert at the Nassau Coliseum.
The Simcha Song1997Contains MBC hit Adon Olam
Chanukah - Light up the Nights1997Featuring MBC hit "Yaaleh V'yavoh". This album featured five new songs and instrumental versions of those same songs.
Stand Up1999Featuring MBC hit "Hinei Ma Tov"
Yerushalayim - Can You Hear Our Voice2001A collection of songs from the past of Miami, and two new recordings. All the songs surround the idea of the centrality of Jerusalem to the Jewish nation.
Bederech Hatorah - We Will Prevail2001An album that set the stage for a number of rising stars. The song "Lo B'Ruach Hashem" exceeds seven minutes.
Miami 25 - Past Present and Future2002Recording of the 25th anniversary concert including a number of prominent alumni.
Miami and Dedi2003Recording of the 26th anniversary concert featuring guest star Dedi.
Miami Revach2005Sold over 15,000 copies.
Miami Revach '2006
Miami Moshiach2007Featuring 5 new songs and five concert recordings from Miami 29 by Ohad, Dovid Gabay and Michoel Schnitzler.
Around the Campfire2007MBC's first a cappella album. It features voices from several generations of the choir, being a project started in 2004.
Yavoh2009
Ultimate Miami - The Ultimate Collection2010A collection of the English songs over the years.
The Miami Solo Album2010This album of non-Miami songs features Miami soloists Shaul Elson, Yair Kenig, David Herskowitz, and Binyamin Ravina Abramowitz.
Mi L'Hashem Eilai2011This album features one song from the new Miami Israel Choir directed by Miami Alumnus Menachem Klein.
When the Siyum Calls2012A double CD album and music video released in honor of the 12th Siyum HaShas which later took place at the MetLife Stadium on 1 August 2012.
Miami in Concert2013Recorded performances from 2011–2013. Includes special bonus features including 'Miami at Pomegranate' and 'In the Beginning', showing how the Israeli choir began and were trained even long distance from the U.S.
Ut Ut2015Special track "Invei Hagefen" featured the Miami Alumni.
Miami B'Simcha Rabah 2016Contains footage of concerts from April 2013, 2015, 2016. The DVD also contains special features of the world tour in Antwerp, Paris, London, Mexico, and Israel.
Miami L'Olam Vo'ed ~ Forever!''2018Contains 13 songs.