Klepper's Survey

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

A few months ago, Jeff Klepper posted queries on this list, HUC-Alum and some 
others regarding what he perceived was a sea change in how children were 
reacting to Jewish music, and wondering what, if anything, we could do to turn 
the tide.

In talking about this very issue with someone the other day, the point was 
raised that nowhere among the many responses was the subject of individual 
attitude and enthusiasm addressed. I had an experience a few weeks ago that 
brought this to mind. I happened to be out of town on a visit and was invited 
to come to a religious school assembly. I had little or no prep time, it was a 
totally unfamiliar congregation, and unlike the 30 or so kids we have in Fargo, 
this was a group in the hundreds. I went in and taught two simple pieces-the 
infamous Josh Miller "Tree" and Joe Black's "Everbody's Got  A Little Music" It 
was early in the morning so I knew I would really have to be on. I gathered 
every bit of the enthusiasm, that aish haTorah that burns within me, and threw 
every bit of my diminutive body into the effort. The reaction was 
wonderful-from students and teachers alike. I realized that I could have been 
teaching almost any song, and the same thing would have happened-because it 
wasn't what I was teaching and singing, it was how I was doing 
it-energetically, with enthusiasm, with no inhibitions

What say you, fellow readers?


Adrian


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Adrian A. Durlester  -  durleste (at) plains(dot)nodak(dot)edu
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/durleste/
Production Manager, Festival Concert Hall, North Dakota State University
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/durleste/fchcont.html
Director of Music, Temple Beth El, Fargo ND
http://www.uahc.org/nd/tbefargo/
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
shamash(dot)org
http://uahc.org/hanashir
Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions)
Evening Program Chair, CAJE 23 - San Antonio TX, Aug 9-13, 1998
http://www.caje.org
Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com