[HANASHIR:6315] Re: solo singing

[ItaSara <ItaSara...>]

Thank you all for your comments. They have been very helpful. I didn’t mean 
for this to turn into a discussion of Jewish vs non Jewish singers although 
it is a related issue.  I am more concerned presently on your opinions about  
a place for solos (in addition to the cantor soloist or cantor role)  on a 
regular basis for temple volunteers who feel they want to contribute in that 
way.  I am well aware that there are no simple answers, but it is interesting 
and helpful to  what other Reform sysnagogues do in this regard and how some 
of the pros and cons I originally mentioned are handled in different 
situations. I’ll repeat my original letter below. Thank you.

<<I would be interested to hear how you feel about talented congregational 

singers having the opporunity to  have solo parts during a service or hiring 

professional singers. 


This has been an ongoing point of controversy for a a long time at the 

synagogue where I sub for our cantorial soloist (a paying position)  and sing 

 every Shabbat morning as a volunteer choir member.  Although we now have a 

part time cantorial soloist, the issues were present when we had a full time 

cantor. There are pros and cons to both sides of the issue. We have made 

changes over the years that I would consider improvements from hiring only 

non-Jewish professionals in the past to the present where most of us are 

volunteers. 


Here are some of the points involved involving two related issues. What  are 

your thoughts?


Pros for more solo opportunities and/or hiring professionals: 


1. Singers like to have the opportunity to express themselves in song.

2. Singers feel spiritually moved to be part of the service by participating 

with

    a solo, just as congregational members participate in readings; an outlet 

for

    lay participation and lay/clergy cooperation.

3. It adds some individuality to the service.

4. Some congregants are proud to have fellow congregants participate in this 

way

5. It’s an opportunity for singers to learn music as well as introduce other 

Jewish  music to the congregants and to the service. Some choir members have 

a fairly

    good background in Jewish music and can 

6. In a musical community like the one I live it, often Jewish singers 

professi甀猀攀 琀栀攀礀 愀爀攀 洀漀爀攀 瀀氀攀渀琀椀昀甀氀Ⰰ缀਀    琀栀攀礀 瀀愀礀Ⰰ 愀渀
搀 琀栀攀爀攀 愀爀攀 洀漀爀攀 漀瀀瀀漀爀琀甀渀椀琀攀猀 昀漀爀 愀 猀椀渀最攀爀 琀漀 猀椀渀最⸀ 
缀਀㜀⸀ 圀椀琀栀 瀀愀椀搀 瀀爀漀昀攀猀猀椀漀渀愀氀猀 琀栀攀爀攀 椀猀 洀漀爀攀 漀瀀瀀漀爀琀甀渀椀
琀礀 琀漀 搀漀 昀漀甀爀 瀀愀爀琀 洀甀猀椀挀 缀਀戀攀挀愀甀猀攀 漀渀缀਀    愀 瘀漀氀甀渀琀攀
攀爀 戀愀猀椀猀 洀漀猀琀 瘀漀氀甀渀琀攀攀爀猀 愀爀攀 眀漀洀攀渀⸀缀਀㠀⸀ 圀椀琀栀 愀渀 攀洀瀀栀
愀猀椀猀 琀栀攀猀攀 搀愀礀猀 漀渀 挀漀渀最爀攀最愀琀椀漀渀愀氀 猀椀渀最椀渀最Ⰰ 洀甀挀栀 漀昀 琀
栀攀 猀攀爀瘀椀挀攀 缀਀洀甀猀椀挀缀਀    栀愀猀 戀攀挀漀洀攀 洀甀渀搀愀渀攀  愀渀搀 琀漀漀 
挀愀洀瀀 氀椀欀攀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 琀漀 猀漀洀攀 瘀攀爀礀 戀漀爀椀渀最Ⰰ 猀甀渀最†week
 

after   week by the same person and in the same way. Some congregants welcome 

change  others don’t. 

9. With more opportunties, we could attract better singers  and even 

musically   gifted high school congregants and (with pay, which is

    a separate issue) more consistency as to how many singers show up 

everyweek   and the quality of music  might be higher or at least varied. 

Many singers who    have such opportunities in the church setting go on to 

have musical careers. In a  time when we would like to keep Jews in Judaism 

and not in secularism, musical  opportunites might be one way.


Cons to solo singers and/or professionals:

1.  The cantor or cantor soloist is paid to lead the congregation, the choir 

is backup

    and represents  the congregation.

2.  Some volunteers want to sing solo, but they really don’t sing well.

3.  Congregational volunteers who are good singers resent it when 

professionals are

    hired to sing the same music, and professionals usually expect and do get 

solos   

    (whether Jewish or not).

4.  Some congregants only want to hear a cantor or cantor soloist and see no 

reason

    for a choir at all or for individual solos.

5.  oneupmanship and resentment occur between choir members and between choir 

    members     and clergy and between choir members who volunteer and choir  
  

members who are     paid (depending on the circumstances.)

6.  Focus is lost with solo parts so the service becomes more of a 

performance and 

    less consistent. (although the individual singer may want to perform, I 

don’t 

    myself feel that the result is a performance.)

 

>>

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+