[HANASHIR:1442] Re: Yamim Noraim Music Survey

[HaznHadash <HaznHadash...>]

I have followed this discussion with a lot of interest.  I am a Cantor at a
synagogue in Northern California.

For the High Holy DAys, we sing traditional nusach, Janowski, Lewandowski,
Steinberg, Folk songs, Debbie Friedman, Rachelle Nelson.  I believe that it
is
possible to achieve a mixture of the old classical reform music, nusach and
more modern material.

We use a piano for all of our services.  some nusach is chanted a capella.
During our family services, which is led by our religious school music
teacher, we use guitar.  I do not play guitar at this point.

There has also been some interesting discussion about the use of choirs.  We
have a volunteer choir that sings once a month (though we are currently
taking
a break because of all the hard work put in for the HHD's).  We hold 2
rehearsals prior to the Friday night that they sing.  They sing almost every
thing in the service.  OUr bima is not large enough to accompany the choir
so
they sit on one of the sides of the sanctuary and they face out to the
congregation.  During the HHD's when we rent a different space, they were to
the right of the Bima, if one was facing the bima.  Currently they do not
wear
robes.

This congregation has a rich history of participating during it's services.
When the choir is singing, I always make sure that the congregation knows
they
can sing as well.  When it is a congregational piece, I turn to the
congregation and sing with them and I do not conduct the choir.  We also
include a song sheet every Friday night with words to songs that are not
found
in the prayerbook.  For the High Holy Days, I have created a song booklet
that
can be used throughout the HHD's in which congregants can find words to
songs
that tend to be more congregational.  I find that this seems to work.  If
you
want the congregation to sing with you, you have to let them know that you
want them to sing.  Even pieces that are not so congregational, like
Janowski's Avinu Malkeinu, the congregation will still sing a long.

HOpe this adds to the discussion.
B'shalom,
Cantor Devorah Felder-Levy
Congregation Shir Hadash, Los Gatos, CA