[HANASHIR:8862] Re: introducing new service music

[Fifth Avenue <jbielan...>]

Rachelle,

>From the beginning, the orientation at my synagogue has revolved around
new melodies and settings.  I am extremely fortunate to currently be
working alongside a cantor named Ron Li-Paz who has an extraordinary
voice (he just returned from singing the lead in "Aida" at Royal Albert
Hall in London, and will be starring in a production of "The Marriage Of
Figaro" later this year in Amsterdam).  When he is gone, there are a few
other marvelous local cantors here in L.A. who "guest" at our services.

Several of my original melodies have become the congregation's
"standards", but we still like to vary the presentation.  It is not
unusual for a shabbat service to open with a traditional nigun, utilize
my candle blessing, Bar'chu and V'Sham'ru melodies, then do a
traditional Sh'ma melody, a chassidic-flavored Michamocha, traditional
melodies for blessings and Aleinu, then one of several Adon Olam's, and
close with Friedman's T'fillat Haderech.

At another service, the melodies may vary significantly.  My goal has
always been to try to utilize the power of different types of music to
draw as many people into shuel as possible, and hopefully to get them
more comfortable with their Judaism and, as a result, closer to God.
Not that one approach is better than another, but I think many people
who are drawn to our services are not expecting to hear a service of all
traditional melodies.  We also do an annual "shabbat service with Gospel
music", a service featuring virtually all Klesmer music, etc.

For me, the bottom line is that we, as temple music people, have a vast
set of appropriate musical tools at our disposal from which to choose.
Our congregation typically draws close to three hundred people or more
for Shabbat, and in excess of 1,400 people for High Holiday services.  I
have been told that the accessible, contemporary-oriented services which
Craig Taubman is doing on Friday nights and Saturday mornings here in
the L.A. area regularly draw marvelous attendance, as well.

Some of the input you've already received here is wise.  If your
congregation is not used to new melodies, I'd introduce them slowly.
You may find that accessibility of the melodies is a factor into how
they are received.  You may want to start with melodies which seem to be
easily memorable... ones that have what I like to call a high "goose
pimples factor" that kinda send chills up one's spine.

I do know one thing for certain: you ain't gonna please all the people
all the time.  Many people are simply anchored to that with which they
are familiar.  However, a little appropriate innovation might yield you
very inspiring results.

Good luck.

Jack Bielan




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