Re: Getting to Know You

[LSalvay <LSalvay...>]

Okay, Adrian, I'll jump on the introduction bandwagon.

I'm Linda Salvay, and this was my third year at Hava Nashira--a wonderful
experience that everyone involved with Jewish songleading should have at
least once in their life (although once is not enough!).

I was born and raised in St. Louis, and now live in Kansas City with my
husband and 2 teenage daughters. Professionally, I'm a freelance
writer/editor/desktop publisher. I also have a growing sideline business
designing and sewing (NOT crocheting) custom-made kippot/tallitot/chuppot
(that's a whole other discussion -- but anyone interested in unique,
individually hand-crafted kippot, etc. for bar mitzvahs/weddings/gifts, etc.
is invited to e-mail me for more info. A number of Hava Nashira-niks already
own various versions of my "musical motif" kippah design.)

I was bitten by the Jewish music bug at Camp Herzl (in Webster, Wisc.) as a
teenager, and in ensuing years I've been a member of Jewish musical
performing groups in both St. Louis ("Shir Ami") and Kansas City ("The Chai
Singers"). Also an occasional composer, I was fortunate enough to have my
version of "Ani Ma-Amin" selected as one of the 12 finalists in the 1976 (8th
Annual) Chasidic Song Festival in Israel--that was the year that Uzi
Chitman's "Adon Olam" stole the show. (If you own the recording, by chance,
my name is misspelled as "L. Kesler" in the credits. My maiden name is Linda
Kessler. Also, if anyone happens to own a copy of the sheet music/song
booklet from that particular Chasidic Song Festival, I would love to get a
copy of it from you. It's out of print, and no more are available, I've come
to find out. I realize this puts a whole new twist on the discussion of music
copyrights, but the fact is I hold the copyright on the song and don't own a
copy of the published sheet music!)

These days I'm doing some occasional solo performing locally, mostly for
Hadassah groups and the like, and will begin my 8th year teaching music to
K-2nd graders at Congregation Beth Shalom religious school (Conservative).
I'm hoping to do some more composing for "little" kids (a la "Tzedakah
Shake") and  "big" kids (a la "For 3000 Years"), and maybe put together a
tape of original songs at some point. Hava Nashira has been a great
inspiration -- I hope to be back again next year!

L'hitraot!