[HANASHIR:12604] Re: Adding Pro Singers To Choir

[PAPE Janet, IEA/OME <Janet.PAPE...>]

Just to play the devil's advocate in this discussion about hired singers and
whether they are Jewish or not, I'd like to add from my own experience both
in singing in churches and in hiring pros myself.  If you adopt an
exclusionary policy, you miss out on two opportunities:  1) working with
sensitive musicians who, regardless of their beliefs, do convey their
spirituality through their music and therefore are an asset to the service,
and 2) exposing gentiles to the beauty of your community and prayer.  Of
course, you can't hire just anybody.  They have to be respectful of the
requirements of the setting.

When I've hired singers, I have always required that they work the hebrew
into their voices AT HOME (i.e., practice!), for, even though the music is
seldom challenging,  singers can hold back the ensemble if they stumble over
the pronunciation or fail to negotiate the glottal stops in the language.
Sometimes sections of choirs simply have no strong leaders, and bringing
someone in who has more confidence helps the others to risk more and sing
out a bit more.  I also try to give the ringers a rough translation of what
they're singing and explain the meaning of the services to them.

Janet Pape

-

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