Songs of Healing & Hope
CD: Cantor Susan Wehle
& Classical Guitarist Gunilla Theander Kester
Five years ago, Cantor Susan Wehle found herself at the bedside of a seriously ill friend, praying and chanting for healing, yet aware that domestic and professional obligations would soon tear her away. That night she recorded a tape of prayers and songs at her kitchen table, which she gave her friend in the hospital. Over the years, she recorded other tapes until chaplains at local hospitals started asking her to produce a commercially available CD that they could use in their practices.
She turned to a member in her congregation, Dr. Gunilla Theander Kester, a talented classical guitarist and asked her to join the project.
Susan Wehle, who served as Cantor to the Temple Beth Am community in Williamsville, NY, said she was inspired by her hospital visits and wanted a CD with the feeling that she was sitting right next to an ill or dying person singing and praying just for him or her. The intimate and soothing sound of voice and guitar blending in what Susan's voice teacher of many years, Marilyn Barber, describes as "a duet" fulfills her vision. A teacher of the guitar at The Amherst School of Music, Dr. Kester also serves as Vice President of the Buffalo Guitar Society. She says that she was happy to be able to work with Susan. "Many people have never heard classical guitar and yet it has such a beautiful tone and resonance. The sweet mixture of voice and guitar is hard to resist."
About our CD...
CD Sample
Ordering CD
To order:
Send a check for $20 directly to
Gunilla Kester
104 Deer Run Road
Williamsville NY 14221
or:
Order directly from Temple Beth Am’s website:
Credits
Vocals: Cantor Susan Wehle
Guitar: Dr. Gunilla Theander Kester
Classical Guitar Arrangements: MirAli and Gunilla Theander Kester
Recording Engineer & Angel: Robert J. Besant
Song Sequencing: Marilyn Barber
^Printing: Century Printing and Graphics, Inc.
Duplicating: DPS Video
Cover Design and Art: N.Jo Tufts
Until her tragic death on February 12, 2009, Susan Wehle served as Cantor to the Temple Beth Am community of Buffalo, New York. She was ordained by Aleph: the Movement for Jewish Renewal, and was a member of Aleph as well as the Union for Reform Judaism. Susan studied voice with Marilyn Barber of Williamsville, New York, and was very grateful to her for her insightful teaching and unwavering support through all the soap opera episodes of Susan's life. She was also grateful to Gunilla Kester for her talent, sensitivity and patience. Susan thanked her siblings, her sons and her friends, who supported her and loved her, the Temple Beth Am community, who trusted her to lead it, and the Aleph community, who illuminated the path to God's presence in her life. This CD is dedicated to Susan's parents, Hana and Kurt Wehle, of blessed memory.
To read Susan’s thoughts on the CD as printed in The Amherst Review
A guitarist and writer, Gunilla Theander Kester teaches classical guitar at the Amherst School of Music. She wishes to thank Rabbi Irwin Tanenbaum, Cantor Susan Wehle, guitarist Mir Ali, luthiers Holtier and Holler, photographer Diane Bianchi, piano pedagogue Steven Bianchi, organist Paul Staley, and always her family, Daniel, Anya, and Shiri. Dr. Kester serves as Vice-President of the Buffalo Guitar Society and The Rantucci International Guitar Festival and Competition. In loving memory of Katrin Ahlstrom Koch 1961-2005. Dr. Kester can be reached at: music (at) theKesters.net.
Songs
1. B'ruchot HaBa-ot
2. B'shem HaShem
3. Gesher Tzar M'od
4. L’chi Lach
5. Kol Han'shama
6. Adon Olam
7. B'yado
8. Elohai
9. The Healing Circle
10. Pitchu Li
11. Achat Sha-alti
12. The Angel Song
13. Mi Shebeirach
14. Modeh Ani
15. Petach Libi/Guard My Tongue
16. Oseh Shalom
17. Circle Chant
We are mourning the sudden and tragic death of our beloved Cantor Susan Wehle, one of the victims of flight #3407. My heart goes out to all the other families who mourn a loved one who was on that flight.
