[HANASHIR:5668] Re: Shabbat service songs

[Meris Ruzow <meris...>]

Emily - there's so much to share it's hard to start.   First off, you should
sit down with your principal/rabbi and discuss the goals of the music
program.  Is it to teach the songs which are sung during t'fillot?   Holiday
songs?  Identity, Israel?   Please don't group your kids together in a
clump.   Even with smaller groups, you can do more age appropriate lessons.
I would suggest doing K-1 together, grades 2-3, 4-5 and 6-7.    That way you
can give them what's best at their level.    So first sit down, then try to
get input from the teachers to see what they're teaching.   A good
curriculum is one that's united in theme.  With music it's easy to tie
anything together; and then within the structure you can bring out
creativity, percussion accompaniment, etc.    Remember, it's a balancing act
with the old traditional tunes and the newer ones.    Good luck!
Meris Ruzow
-----Original Message-----
From: Andy Curry <acurry (at) CellNet(dot)com>
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Monday, April 03, 2000 10:42 AM
Subject: [HANASHIR:5662] Re: Shabbat service songs


>Emily,
>
>At the risk of being "too easily baited" (thanks, Adrian), I can relate to
>your experience and feelings.
>
>A good performer has a sense about energy - its ebb and flow, pacing,
>dynamics.  I've been in situations where those "in charge" (yes, sometimes
>these people are rabbis) only see the "loud and fast" energies and are
>concerned that people may be bored when they are really turning inward and
>listening with - and for -their neshamot.  We know that this may be, for
>many, the critical worship moment.
>
>I've found it useful to talk with the rabbis or whoever is "in charge"
>beforehand and express this notion.  Sometimes one needs to be assertive.
>Sometimes it's a matter, when I sense a disconnection of understanding, of
>saying "trust me, I know what I'm doing."  Sometimes - the
>passive/aggressive approach - is to sneak a "calm space" in; it can be, for
>example, doing a song people are used to hearing loud and fast in a soft,
>meditative way - jazz davening!
>
>Kol tuv,
>Andy
>
>At 06:09 PM 3/31/00 EST, you wrote:
>>I agree with Janeen.  In my last posting I described an experience I had
>subbing at a large congregation.  What I neglected to say is that although
>it was an interesting experience and the congregation was totally into it,
>for me, personally, I thought it went overboard.  I would have preferred to
>have saved some of the energy for the concluding song which was a little
>bit lacking in spirit, I thought.  We did the French Sephardic Adon Olam,
>which I really like but I think by then the congregation was worn out.
>During the pre-service "song session" I attempted to create a calm space
>but everytime I tried, the Rabbis would give me hand signals to keep up the
>energy or one would come over to me and whisper in my ear ("Do another fast
>one" or "something more upbeat!")
>>  The Mi Chamocha was the same way.  Before the Mi Chamocha we did
>Debbie's Miriam's Song and the Rabbis pulled out tambourines and again went
>out into the congregation.  Everyone sang and clapped along.  It kind of
>blew me away because at my regular congregation we do a kind of low-key Mi
>Chamocha that could almost put you to sleep, although it's very pretty.  It
>really blew me away.  Has anyone else experienced anything like this?
>>
>>Emily Worobey
>>
>>
>>
>>
>*******************************
>Andy Curry
>CellNet Data Systems
>11146 Thompson Ave
>Lenexa KS 66219
>Office: 913-312-4739
>Facsimile: 913-312-4701
>Home : 816-363-8381
>E-Mail: acurry (at) cellnet(dot)com
>*******************************
>
>
>

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