After collaborating on countless live projects, Dr.Judy Karin and Cantor Mark Childs felt that the time was right to step into the studio together. Each feels an affinity for Shir Hashirim, the Song of Songs, and it was only natural that their beautiful voices should entwine around this book. The opening six tracks are exquisitely composed settings of verses from Song of Songs. They can be used to whet your appetite for a peaceful Sabbath or whatever holy activity in which you wish to engage. Tracks seven onward contain The Song of Songs chanted in its original Hebrew entirety, according to the ancient and very romantic Ashkenazic trope melody notated by A.W. Binder. The inspiration for presenting it as a dialogue between a man and a woman came from the translation published by Ariel and Chana Bloch (UC Press, 1995). Allow the chanted words to wash over you and transport you to the garden of your dreams. Judy Karin is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, and earned her PhD in ultrafast optoelectronics at UC Santa Barbara. A member of Congregation B’nai B’rith and the Isla Vista Minyan, Judy is known in Santa Barbara as the High Holy Day Cantor for Santa Barbara Hillel since 1986, and has taught many b’nai mitzvah and adults to chant Torah. Judy dedicates this recording to May & Bert Karin, who have waited so patiently; to Talia & Tamar, the rare and beautiful flowers in her personal garden; and to Dan Cohen, who nurtures that garden with love and patience. Cantor Mark Childs has wandered the lush gardens of Congregation B’nai B’rith of Santa Barbara, California where he has served as Cantor since his graduation from the HUC-JIR, Schoo of Sacred Music in New York City in 1991 . Mark is at home as a recitalist in Jewish art song, folk song, and all vocal music of the Jewish people, as well as classical and musical theater repertoire. His recording credits can be explored by visiting his website at www.cantorchilds.com. Mark dedicates this recording to Shari, his “dove in the clefts of the rock.” (S of S 2:14)