[HANASHIR:2167] Re: Music workshops, conferences, etc.

[Cantor Neil & Katie Schwartz <schwartz...>]

>I'm preparing a proposal for funds for professional growth to submit to
>my synagogue and I'm wondering which Jewish conferences, workshops,
>conventions, etc. are the most worthwhile for music.  The only one I've
>attended is Hava Nashira.  I've seen people on this list mention CAJE,
>UAHC Biennial conventions and UAHC synagogue musician workshops.  Would
>those of you who've attended these gatherings, or others, please share
>insights on which ones have the most, best music programming?  If you
>could attend two a year, which ones would you choose?

Besides CAJE (which has an active Music Network), the other non-cantorial
conference I try to attend each year is the North American Jewish Choral
Festival.  There is a huge amount of learning, doing, and fellowship which
gets crammed into those four days, and it is lots of fun (tho exhausting).

One does not need to be a chorister or conductor to get plenty out of this
annual festival.  There are several workshops on all sorts of Jewish Music
areas, plus everyone sings in one of three choirs based on your own idea
of your sight-singing ability.  There are music sing-through sessions each
day, rehearsals for the choir-to-choir at the end, and good programs every
night (if you have the koach).  It usually occurs in early July.

                                                   Cantor Neil Schwartz