[HANASHIR:8673] Re: Learning to Songlead!

[Josh Miller <jmiller...>]

Hello All,

I've been teaching songleading classes formally and informally for the last 
few years now (mostly to college students at Hillel), so I thought I'd jump 
in on the discussion about learning to songlead. I agree with Adrian that 
good songleaders must have a broad range of skills beyond just knowing how 
to sing Jewish songs and maybe accompany them on guitar or another 
sing-a-long instrument. In fact, when I teach a songleading course, my 
first class session involves brainstorming with songleading students a list 
of skills we expect our ideal songleader to have. The list is always long, 
and it usually includes: a vast knowledge of Judaism, creative teaching 
skills, a sense of humor, a sense of humility, a passion for Jewish music, 
a large repertiore of Jewish songs, an ability to choose songs for 
appropriateness to the moment, the ability to *teach* those songs so that 
others actually learn them (this seems like the most critical and hardest 
learned part to me), musical talent, patience, listening skills, 
enthusiasm, and the list goes on...

Certainly there are a few books on the songleaders' shelf that get the most 
use, like the Shireinu Chordster (and I use my old orange NFTY Chordster 
quite a bit still too), Manginot (especially if you work in Sunday School), 
and I use my International Jewish Songbook (Tara Publications) quite a lot 
as well. Shireinu is my primary "text book" for a songleading class, and 
make sure that my students each have their own copies to use in between 
classes.

If my students don't have strong Jewish musical backgrounds, I encourage 
them to devote themsleves to constantly listening to and learning new 
Jewish music, not so much learning how to play the songs initially, but 
rather just to know how the songs go, so that when the time comes to play 
them, they won't need to learn the melody, just the chords and maybe some 
words, and of course, who to lead the song. At a Jewish summer camp, its 
easy to learn new music, because there are song sessions and services going 
on all of the time, sometimes twice a day. Hava Nashira, of course, is the 
same way, but in only five days, it is too short of a time to actually 
absorb all of the music, which is why recording the sessions is so key. 
Outside the camp or conference scene you have to go to weekly shabbat 
services and also rely on recordings from song sessions at camp or 
conferences, or the pre-recorded Jewish music that's already out there. 
Unfortunately, there is not a compilation CD set for Shireinu (yet), so 
right now in order to own the "100 great camp favorites" you have to buy or 
borrow what seems like a 100 CDs and tapes, since most of these albums have 
only one or two of the most popuar tunes amidst a sea of lesser-known 
music. I will often send my students home with large pieces of my 
collection of recorded Jewish music. Key recordings that I like to lend to 
potential camp songleaders include: Shir L'Yom Chadash and Shir Milibeinu 
(Camp Swig albums), my complete set of seven NFTY Tapes, Debbie Friedman's 
Live at the Del and/or Carengie Hall, Sparks of Torah (Kol B'Seder), Friday 
Night Live (Craig Taubman), and my Hava Nashira recordings. Many of these 
recordings can be purchased at a local Jewish bookstore and/or on-line via 
http://www.soundswrite.com. Prospective Sunday School teachers or service 
leaders would probably want a slightly different set of recordings to learn 
the appropriate repertiore.

But even if one has good printed and recorded resources, and the time and a 
commitment to learn and practice, how do they become a songleader? I think 
you need access two additional things when you are learning: a regular 
"audience" to songlead in front of, and at least one songleading mentor who 
you can watch you, songlead with you, and eventually offer feedback and 
suggetions when you are songleading without them. Where do you find this? I 
personally think summer camp is the ideal place, although if you are a 
college student and your Hillel has an experienced songleader that's 
another fine space. A synagogue, if it has room for two music people, one 
primary and one apprentice, would be another fine alternative. A high 
schooler might also consider getting involved in local and regional youth 
group program it it has a primary songleader who is willing to share the 
leadership of a few song sessions. In the end, camp still seems most ideal 
to me because it involves song sessions and service *every* day, and I have 
never watched songleaders develop so quickly as they do at summer camp.

Before I wrap up this lengthy message I just wanted to preach for a moment 
here to the experienced songleaders out there about being a songleading 
mentor. I teach songleading classes because its gratifying, its new and 
exciting, and its challenging, but also because there AREN'T ENOUGH GOOD 
SONGLEADERS in my area, and this seems to be the reality elsewhere in the 
Jewish world as well. I'm going to keep doing it until I believe there are 
enough songleaders to bring great Jewish music to every Jewish community 
event that wants it. Moreoever, I believe that it is nearly impossible to 
learn to be a great songleader without the help and guidance of a committed 
songleading mentor, so I try to make myself very available to current and 
past students to make sure they are developing, and at times I have gone 
out of my way to find prospective students because a lot of times if I 
don't go looking for them, they won't find me. If you are an experienced 
songleader, and think you might know a prospective apprentice/assistant who 
could become a great songleader, I encourage you to think about how you 
could find a little time each week to impart your songleading knowledge to 
them, and to open yourself to the idea of "sharing the spotlight" whereever 
it is that you songlead to let them get their feet wet too!

I believe that to have songleading talent is to be the keeper of a holy 
gift, and if we don't share it, we'll lose it...

Happy learning and teaching!

- Josh Miller
   Berkeley, California

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