Our Musical Leadership
Cantor Pavel Roytman, Music Director
Cantor Pavel Roytman’s conducting and choral experience began when he was only six years old. It was then that he joined the all-boys choir at the Gliere children’s music school in Kaliningrad, Russia. Led by the Estonian born conductor-composer Hugo Kruzmann, the choir represented the best of choral education and culture of the Former Soviet Union. From an early age, Cantor Roytman was taught sight singing, Solfeggio, music theory, and basics of conducting. Cantor Roytman’s experience in the children’s choir contributed to his later decision to major in choral conducting first, at the Kaliningrad Rachmaninov music college (1987-1991), and later on, at the Petrozavodsk Glazunov State Conservatoire (1991-1993).
Pavel’s conducting experience in the U.S. include Milwaukee Jewish Community Chorale, Campanella Children’s Choir, Second Baptist Church Choir of Evanston, and the Kol Zimrah Jewish Community Singers. During his years as cantor and music director for Temple Beth Israel in Skokie, Illinois, Cantor Roytman founded and conducted Koleynu, their all-volunteer choir.
In his current position as cantor for Beth Hillel Congregation B’nai Emunah in Wilmette, Illinois, Pavel conducts the adult volunteer choir, junior children’s choir, and the Chai Notes children’s ensemble. He is currently working on co-creating a local chapter of Hazamir, the nationwide Jewish children’s choir. Cantor Roytman is a co-founder and acting-executive director of the annual Zemer Am choral festival. In 2015 he was named principal conductor for Kol Zimrah Jewish Community Singers.
Please click here to visit Pavel's web site.
Pavel’s conducting experience in the U.S. include Milwaukee Jewish Community Chorale, Campanella Children’s Choir, Second Baptist Church Choir of Evanston, and the Kol Zimrah Jewish Community Singers. During his years as cantor and music director for Temple Beth Israel in Skokie, Illinois, Cantor Roytman founded and conducted Koleynu, their all-volunteer choir.
In his current position as cantor for Beth Hillel Congregation B’nai Emunah in Wilmette, Illinois, Pavel conducts the adult volunteer choir, junior children’s choir, and the Chai Notes children’s ensemble. He is currently working on co-creating a local chapter of Hazamir, the nationwide Jewish children’s choir. Cantor Roytman is a co-founder and acting-executive director of the annual Zemer Am choral festival. In 2015 he was named principal conductor for Kol Zimrah Jewish Community Singers.
Please click here to visit Pavel's web site.
Margo Schwartz-Newton, Assistant Conductor and Administrator
Margo Schwartz-Newton is a freelance pianist and coach. After earning a degree in sociology, she pursued studies in piano performance at Roosevelt University and later earned a master's degree in collaborative piano from the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Margo has had the opportunity to use her skills in a variety of fields. In addition to collaborating with instrumentalists and singers, she has worked with several sacred and secular choirs and accompanied operas such as Menotti's The Medium, Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, and the world premiere of Wendell Logan's Doxology with the New Black Music Repertory Ensemble. Margo studied at the Aspen Music Festival and School, spent a summer at the Interlochen Center for the Arts accompanying ballet and modern dance classes, and participated in the UCLA Vocal Arts Institute and Summer Songfest. She has had the honor of taking master classes with Elly Ameling, Dalton Baldwin, Richard Boldrey, Warren Jones, Martin Katz, and members of the Cleveland Orchestra, among many others.
Formerly in arts administration, Margo is the pianist at Congregation BJBE and managing director at Darchei Noam Glenbrook as well as a Salesforce certified administrator in addition to her varied roles with Kol Zimrah. When she has free time, it is spent enjoying the company of her extraordinarily supportive husband, Joel, and playing with their ridiculously imaginative child, Oliver.
Margo has had the opportunity to use her skills in a variety of fields. In addition to collaborating with instrumentalists and singers, she has worked with several sacred and secular choirs and accompanied operas such as Menotti's The Medium, Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, and the world premiere of Wendell Logan's Doxology with the New Black Music Repertory Ensemble. Margo studied at the Aspen Music Festival and School, spent a summer at the Interlochen Center for the Arts accompanying ballet and modern dance classes, and participated in the UCLA Vocal Arts Institute and Summer Songfest. She has had the honor of taking master classes with Elly Ameling, Dalton Baldwin, Richard Boldrey, Warren Jones, Martin Katz, and members of the Cleveland Orchestra, among many others.
Formerly in arts administration, Margo is the pianist at Congregation BJBE and managing director at Darchei Noam Glenbrook as well as a Salesforce certified administrator in addition to her varied roles with Kol Zimrah. When she has free time, it is spent enjoying the company of her extraordinarily supportive husband, Joel, and playing with their ridiculously imaginative child, Oliver.
Music Directors Emeriti
Cantor Richard Cohn (founder) 1996 - 2006
Dr. Richard Boldrey 2007 - 2015
Dr. Richard Boldrey 2007 - 2015