Women Of Valor
…ingenious and invigorating composition…a maturing masterpiece… Ms. Clearfield has presented powerful and modern insights into the women of the Old Testament.
The poignant texts featured in Women of Valor, expressive of female viewpoints often historically neglected, have been studied widely by interfaith study groups as well as by Jewish and Christian women’s study groups. As educational vehicles, the texts and their musical settings provide a unique opportunity for modern readers to engage in a dialogue between traditional and feminist sensibilities, between literary and musical aesthetics, and between the past and the present.
As our contribution to this dialogue, and in furtherance of the LAJS’s educational mission, we plan to produce a companion study guide. But first comes the recording, which was released in April of 2017 on the Albany Records label.
As a Jewish woman conductor, I find it so inspiring that the composer, vocal soloists, narrator, conductor and subjects of the work are all women! We will be sure to keep you updated on this thrilling project.
Andrea Clearfield
Hila Plitmann
Tovah Feldshuh
Rinat Shaham
Andrea Clearfield has constructed a major work….The soloists are excellent. Soprano Hila Plitmann and mezzo Rinat Shahan have voices that ideally complement each other….Green’s direction is faultless….The recording is of the very highest standard.
Purchase today from Albany Records or find us on ITunes!!
A haunting and beautiful oratorio…superb.
“…an ambitious 3-movement oratorio by Andrea Clearfield rendered, one can only say valorously, by mezzo Rinat Shaham, soprano Hila Plitmann, and narrator Tovah Feldshuh, with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony conducted by its founder and artistic director Noreen Green on the Albany label…The three movements each depict several Biblical women…All are valiantly depicted with inventive melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, especially Miriam’s dance, which served as a rousing finale to a recent online concert the LAJS recently gave…
CREDIT
Producer/Engineer: Frederick Vogler
Assistant Engineer: Sergey Parfenov
Recording Producer: Marcia Dickstein
Editor: Mark Gilfry
Mastering: Frederick Vogler
Cover Art & Woman of Valor logo: Louise Clearfield
Calligraphy Art: Drew
Design: 2310 Design
Recorded at SOKA University, Mission Viejo, California, April 4, 2016
Music Published by
SPECIAL THANKS TO
There are so many people to thank, most importantly, there would be no music without the words. We pay tribute to each writer and translator whose inspirational text gave a contemporary voice to these 
Women of Valor.
Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton
Ellen Frankel
Robert Friend
Kathryn Hellerstein
Isidor Lillian
Rivka Miriam
Alicia Ostriker
Marge Piercy
Rabbi Geela Ravzel Raphael
Shimon Sandbank
Sandy Shanin
B.Z. Shenker
Roza Yakubovitsh
Linda Zisquit