Louis Josephson, a sixth grade student at Grover Middle School and a West Windsor resident, has won the Seventh Annual Young People’s Jewish Song-Writing Competition. His winning composition, titled “A Blessing,” was based on text by American Jewish poet Danny Siegel. It will be performed by Sharim V’Sharot featuring tenor Stuart Lehmann on Sunday, May 5, at 3 p.m. at Rider University in Lawrenceville.
Laura Fishman, a sophomore at Pennsbury High School, is the other winner in the competition. “Both songs written by these young composers are remarkable,” says Elayne Robinson Grossman, the musical director and conductor of Sharim V’Sharot Foundation.
“Louis loves to sing and compose, play piano, harmonica, and drums — and has been doing so since he was very young,” says his mother, Emily. “He says that his music allows his creativity and imagination to be expressed in any way, shape, or form.”
He has recently performed at the Grover Middle School talent show and WW-P’s Got Talent. He sang and played piano and harmonica, performing an original composition. He enjoys Billy Joel and Elton John. “Louis hears music and just sits down and plays it either on the piano or the drums,” says his mother. “Music is his thing, he has perfect pitch, and it seems to come naturally to him.”
Louis also won last year’s contest, which focused on creating Hebrew songs about Jerusalem. This year it featured American poets.
He studies piano with Joe Demarest and music composition and voice with Peter Heckman Jr. “Louis is inspired by all types of music and has written many other songs, including a full length musical, and has performed his compositions at several venues,” says his mother. “He also plays percussion in his school band and performs with Encore, a boys vocal ensemble at Grover.”
Music is an essential part of Louis’ life. This will be his second summer Long Lake Camp for the Performing Arts in the Adirondacks. “I went there as a kid because I had a love for ballet,” says Emily. “My daughter is going for ballet this year. We are carrying on a family tradition.”
Both children attended Tomato Patch Performing Arts program at Kelsey Theater for a few years. Isabel, an eighth grade student at Grover Middle School, dances with Dance Corner during the year. The family often attends performances by American Ballet and New York City Ballet companies.
“We expose Louis to everything, including Broadway shows, McCarter and Kelsey theaters, rock concerts, and symphonies,” says Emily. “My mother, a former opera singer, is involved with the arts in Pittsburgh. She took us to see the Pittsburgh Symphony and arranged for a backstage tour, where Louis stood in the conductor’s box and met with some of the musicians.”
Emily is returning as chair of this year’s Central NJ Walk Now for Autism Speaks event at Mercer County Community College in the fall. The event is focused on raising funds for autism research and advocacy. A stay-at-home mom, Emily became involved with the organization more than six years ago. Autism Speaks raises funds and awareness, helps families affected by autism, and advocates for families with autism.
Raised in Pittsburgh, Josephson graduated from Penn State and headed for New York City. She worked in national advertising in magazines for 15 years. One of her co-workers at Better Homes and Garden magazine was the brother of her future husband, Seth Josephson, an attorney.
Emily Josephson is a board member of both the Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Center. Her husband is on the board of Beth El Synagogue. Autism Speaks was a large part of Isabel’s mitzvah project, and she is a new member of Jewish Community Youth Foundation, an organization focusing on community giving and allocating funds. The family lived in Plainsboro for five years and has lived in West Windsor for the past 10 years.
“We see the effort and dedication that Louis puts into his music and how happy it makes him,” says his mother. Louis is planning to focus his bar mitzvah project on singing songs at Greenwood House and Bear Creek. “It’s part of who he is,” she says. “He just loves it and lights up when he’s singing.”
Jewish Choral Music, Sharim V’Sharot Foundation, Luedeke Center, Rider University, 2083 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville. Sunday, May 5, 3 p.m. “Music of American Jewish Composers and Their Influence on American Music” includes works of Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Marvin Hamlisch, Bob Dylan, and others. World premiers of “Eishet Chayil (A Worthy Women)” by Steven Cohen. Louis Josephson’s composition, “A Blessing,” based on text by Danny Siegel, an American Jewish poet, will be performed by the chorus. Register. $15 to $20. 609-222-4647. www.sharimvsharot.org.
