[HANASHIR:15249] Re: High Holy Day choices

[jbielan <jbielan...>]

So often this list is a valuable resource for learning about other people's
perspectives.  This latest strain on High Holiday music is another perfect
example, and I just want to say "thanks again" to Adrian for maintaining it.

Here at Valley Outreach Synagogue in L.A., like all of you, we've been hard
at work - rehearsing the choir, making choices of settings, writing
arrangements, etc.
I'm in my 19th year, and I'm in a situation for which I'm very grateful.

Our cantor, Ron Li-Paz,  has a world-class voice.  He is often flown to
Europe to sing leads in major operas.  His wife, Bronwen, was a major
performer a few years ago in the West End -England's version of Broadway -
and she also has an absolutely exquisite voice.  The congregation pretty
much gives us carte blanche to venture into any musical territories we see
fit, and we treat that sacred trust accordingly.

At our High Holiday service, we try to combine several elements.  Ron has a
warm, loving, wonderfully knowledgeable demeanor about him, and goes out of
his way to explain the meaning of many of the prayers. Our musical styles
vary.  At the opening of a service, we may start out with a nigun to
encourage people to sing along when they feel so motivated.  Prayers like
Max's "Aveinu Malkenu" are done in broad, traditional ensemble style,
featuring Cantor, Choir and instruments.  By contrast, this year Debbie's
"Sh'ma V'ahavta" is going to be sung by a group of six young adults (average
age 16-17) who each have beautiful voices. At other times, we'll do the
traditional, grand "Sh'ma" melody.  At another point, Ron, Bronwen and our
pro tenor and our pro soprano (whom we privately call our "Kiddush Quartet")
will sing a beautiful a'cappella setting of  "Adonai, Adonai".   We'll use
my setting of "Un'tahneh Tokef" with myself on piano, Bronwen soloing and a
flugelhorn; and we'll do Stephen Richards' exquisite "Ritzei" with its
subtle triplet feel.  "Kol Nidre" will be appropriately stark - organ
accompanying Cantor and Choir.

Bottom line: we try to vary the approach.  In the end, music is, of course -
art - and art appreciation is subjective.  We all know that some congregants
will respond more to traditional classical settings, while others respond to
more contemporary, varied musical approaches.  My humble opinion is that
part of our job is to aid in really and truly inspiring people to think
about what the High Holidays are all about - and if our specific toolbox is
music, we should use whatever tools we feel will be appropriate to
accomplish that goal.

Certainly we don't want to put on a show - and if I'm honest, I'm sure that,
were some of the esteemed people who participate in this list to see one of
our services, they might disagree with some of our approach. As we speak, I
am in the midst of altering some of the arrangements to accomodate the
string quartet which we are going to utilize this year along keyboards, plus
a guitarist and flutist. For some, that simply may be too over the top - and
who's to say they're right or wrong?  However, for the last ten years we've
continually had in excess of 1,400 people attend High Holidays, and besides
the regulars, we often see many of those faces  attending  various Shabbat
services during the year.

The question I would respectfully ask is this: if we make musical choices
which leave congregants unaffected and apathetic, are we really doing the
job for which we were chosen?.  We all know that music has the ability to
move the soul, and if High Holidays is about soul-searching, we have some
pretty powerful tools at our disposal.

My criteria is simple: when I look out at the congregation from the bimah,
if I see families holding on to each other... if I see tears in people's
eyes from time to time.. if I see people standing-up at some points, arms
over each other's shoulders, swaying with the music and singing along in
tribute to God and saying prayers from our heritage... if I see that look of
warm familiarity from older members when we do traditional melodies...if I
see some little sense of awe in people's faces because they are overwhelmed
with the majesty of a particular setting... and when I see Ron explaining
the practical application of the lesson of a particular prayer and the
collective nods of recognition and understanding... I figure we're doing our
job.

By the way, between morning and afternoon services on Yom Kippur, we host a
Twelve-Step Gratitude Meeting.  Participants who live with addictions of all
catgegories on a one-day-at-a-time basis come to listen and share at this
meeting, which Rabbi Schachet initiated about a dozen years ago. The typical
attendance has grown to about three hundred people, and year after year, I
am moved to tears listening to people share how they've returned to Judaism,
and how the music at our services helped draw them back into a renewed
relationship with their heritage.

I respectfully submit that we dare not offer music which will render apathy.
The opportunities are far too great.

Jack Bielan





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