RE: New member

[Adrian A. Durlester <durleste...>]

[Moderator's note: As I suggested directly to Michael, it's probably best if we 
avoid "naming names..."]

I may get my head cut off for this but...

I would challenge any cantor, cantorial soloist, temple musicians, etc. whose 
congregation thinks they sing too beautifully and therefore prefers to watch 
rather than participate to maybe look inside themselves and ask whether this is 
always a good thing. Yes, there is a role for a Shaliach Tzibbur. Yes, there is 
nothing wrong with listening to beautiful music well played or sung. I 
encourage it and it has its place in worship. But if it is so wonderful that no 
one ever wants anything but that....

And, by the way, the prairie is a great place.

And, if you get Torah Aura's Bim Bam (which I now edit) in your congregation, 
check out my Fargo Factoids. This week, a particularly amusing anecdote from 
our new Rabbi.

Shabbat Shalom to all.

Adrian

On Thursday, September 25, 1997 10:05, MHersher (at) aol(dot)com [SMTP:MHersher 
(at) aol(dot)com] 
wrote:
> Adrian,
>
> I agree with everything you've said.  We must be treading the same well-worn
> path.  I am working with Cantor Carl Naluai, Jr.  who is a wonderful musician
> and teacher but definitely of the classical school.  Our relatively new
> rabbi, Brad Bloom, is very consumer oriented and wants an upbeat service, but
> also tends to be more traditional in terms of the amount of hebrew and the
> wearing of kipot and tallisim.  Both have been supportive of my efforts to
> introduce contemporary nusach, but I have to learn it and perform it pretty
> much by myself.  I understand what you said about the classical music being
> amenable to participation, I joined the choir so I could get that experience.
>  The problem is that the music is simply not presented in manner that people
> feel comfortable singing along.  Part of the problem is that the cantor is
> just too good and people want to listen to him.  Another is that he changes
> the melodies a little too frequently and that people don't attend often
> enough.  I am co-teaching an adult class after the High Holy Days on the
> music of the service to try to help folks reach a comfort level that will
> allow them to sing along.
>
> The hardest advice you gave was to be patient and move slowly toward change.
>  My head knows that, but my heart is racing.  I went to Kallah this summer in
> Santa Cruz and had a wonderful experience at the services conducted by Debbie
> Friedman and Evan Kent.  It was hard to come back and gear down to the
> relatively uninspiring services at my shul.  But I have a series of projects
> going that keep my spirit up and will eventually bear fruit.
>
> Thanks for the feedback and the encouragement.  And by the way, what are you
> doing out on the prairie anyway?
>
> Michael
Adrian A. Durlester  -  durleste (at) plains(dot)nodak(dot)edu
Production manager, Festival Concert Hall, North Dakota State University
Director of Music, Temple Beth El, Fargo ND
Alternate EmaiL: aad (at) iname(dot)com    durleste (at) compuserve(dot)com   
adriand (at) aol(dot)com