For years, Dawn Foster-Dodson has participated in Yom Kippur services at Reform Temple Isaiah in Lafayette. A cellist, the 41-year-old Pittsburg resident performs Max Bruch’s “Kol Nidrei,” a haunting rendition that has become an integral part of the High Holy Day service.
Recently, Foster-Dodson released her first CD, a single, simply titled “Kol Nidrei.” She is accompanied by organist Michael Secour, with whom she has played at Temple Isaiah for the last several years.
An African-American, Foster-Dodson has grown accustomed to the quizzical looks sometimes directed her way. She sees nothing unusual about being an African-American cellist with a penchant for gefilte fish.
“I’ve always identified as Jewish, so it’s really not a big deal to me,” she said. “But it’s definitely a normal thing for people to be surprised. When people ask if I converted, I always just give them a smile and say no.”
Foster-Dodson grew up in Lafayette and was raised by her maternal grandmother, who was Jewish. Although she was not raised in a religious household, she never wanted for any of the staples of Jewish cooking — matzah ball soup, gefilte fish and knishes. But she was not familiar with the Jewish religious liturgy until well into her professional life.
Bruch’s “Kol Nidrei” is a standard component of a cellist’s repertoire, she said. Having played the piece at synagogue for the past four years, Foster-Dodson has gained a high regard for its meaning.
The liturgy is a request to be absolved from vows made during the last year — vows that could not possibly be kept.
“I’ve always appreciated the opportunity to perform and record music that has a spiritual component to it. There’s really no doubt of the prayer-like quality that ‘Kol Nidrei’ has. It’s very rhythmic.”
In synagogue, the age-old melody is played on the eve of the Day of Atonement, when the incantation is recited.
The cellist chose Bruch’s “Kol Nidrei” for her first single “because I believe that it’s an extremely beautiful piece that stands alone.” The making of her second CD is already in the works.
Foster-Dodson, who received her degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, plays with a variety of Bay Area professional groups. She has soloed with the African American Chamber Orchestra and the Oakland Young Professionals Orchestra, and has been the principal cellist in musicals such as “Peter Pan,” “The Sound of Music” and “Ragtime” at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco. She is also a member of the San Jose Symphony and the Midsummer Mozart Orchestra, which gives concerts throughout the Bay Area. In addition, she gives private lessons.
Music runs in her family. Both her brothers are accomplished musicians: Frank is a violinist, while Alex plays the saxophone in the Saturday Night Live Band and has performed with jazz luminaries ranging from Cannonball Adderly to Jaco Pastorius.
Her own musical path was set after an auditory test revealed that she had perfect hearing, and she was directed toward the cello, which requires perfect pitch.
Through the years, the cellist has had an opportunity to mingle and perform with a wide variety of musical superstars including Stevie Wonder, opera singer Luciano Pavarotti and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The latter is her favorite performer, someone who Foster-Dodson said stood out in a world often rampant with prima donnas.
“Yo-Yo Ma is the kindest, warmest person you’ll ever meet,” she said. “He’ll often wait for a couple hours after the show’s over to sign autographs, just to make sure that no one was overlooked.”
Foster-Dodson hopes that some of her musical inclinations will rub off on her two teenage sons, and although neither one was raised Jewish, she feels that her playing “Kol Nidrei” might bring them all closer to some of their roots.
“I feel a deeper connection to Judaism every time I play ‘Kol Nidrei.’ I just think how inspiring it is to play something that’s been part of Jewish history for hundreds of years.”