Night in New York — Jazz by Candlelight at an Armenian Monastery

Summer air filled with the scent of the Mediterranean. The soft glow of candlelight. A terrace of an ancient Armenian monastery overlooking the coastline. And—jazz. Real, live, heartfelt.

This evening, we invite you to travel to nighttime New York—the city where the magic of jazz was born. Where the lights of Times Square come alive at twilight, and velvet voices ring out in Harlem’s clubs:

“What a wonderful world…”

At sunset, the monastery walls will be filled with the music of the greats: Sinatra. Fitzgerald. Armstrong. Charles.

The voice guiding this journey will be Sofa Chudnovskaya—a jazz singer and actress with an extensive creative career encompassing the St. Petersburg school, Netflix, musicals, and Israel’s leading stages.

This is not just a concert. It is a ghostly New York evening set within the contours of monastery arches and bathed in the gold of sunset.

Jazz, the sea, candles, and you.

🎷 Musicians:

Sofa Chudnovskaya — jazz singer, multi-instrumentalist, dubbing actress (Netflix), vocal coach, soloist with the Haifa Big Band, and resident performer at Gig House. Previously, she was a soloist with orchestras in St. Petersburg and head of the popular music department at the Elena Obraztsova Academy of Music.

Gonen Rosenberg — drummer and percussionist, graduate of the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem. For more than 27 years, he was the principal timpanist and percussionist of the Israel Chamber Orchestra, performing at leading venues across Europe, North and South America, and the Far East. A student of legendary New York jazz drummer Michael Carvin, he has participated in international jazz and classical festivals.

Sergiy Nikityuk — virtuoso pianist and winner of international competitions. Founder of Sergiy Nikityuk & Jazz Do It, concertmaster and teacher at the Hadera Municipal Conservatory, and creator of the album 88 Piano Keys.

Valery Rovinsky — bass guitarist, double bassist, and Chapman Stick performer. During his 30-year career in St. Petersburg, he collaborated with more than one hundred ensembles and performed at major festivals. He is a laureate of the international “Tchaikovsky in Jazz” competition. Since 2022, he has lived in Israel, where he is actively involved in concert and studio projects.

Please note: The concert takes place outdoors on the grounds of an ancient monastery by the sea. Evenings by the sea can be cool, so we recommend bringing a light wrap or something warm in case of chilly weather.

Please also note that there is no bar or café on the monastery grounds.

The monastery entrance is from the Jaffa promenade, not through the Old City.

See you among the candles, music, and evening sea ✨