Re: Foundation Support for Edge Jewish Music (was schmaltz...)

[robert wiener <wiener...>]

Jeffrey's post is disappointing to read even to this non-composer.
Much of the greatest music was supported financially by commissions.
Classical composers such as Bach and Beethoven found inspiration for
their work from patrons.  In this century, I believe that both the
Bloch and Milhaud Sacred Services were written in response to
financial support.  And I have little doubt that a list of such works
would be impressive.

This reminds me of (Jeffrey's?) earlier post on the limited promotion
of Jewish music by nominally Jewish concert venues.  Even here in New
York, where it would seem that such events would be the most
commercially viable, the 92nd Street Y seems to have done little
(aside from a Passover concert) and Merkin Hall has, I believe,
abandoned its Heritage Series (which I had abandoned as a 2 ticket
subscriber due to its lack of what I consider Jewish music).  This has
happened even while major concert halls have been filled for Debbie
Friedman, the Itzhak Perlman klezmer tour, and a
Jewish/African-American Jazz festival concert a few years ago.

Surely Jews can do better to support the vitality of Jewish music.
Hiring klezmer musicians to play for simchas is a start, but to
encourage the composers, financial support must be institutionalized.
I have found often in my own life that the noblest, most sincere
aspirations can be squelched due to lack of encouragement.  And money,
here, speaks louder than words.  Sometimes I wish that I had followed
an early aspiration of mine.  When asked what I wanted to be when I
grew up, I would say "A philanthropist."  I hope that the "Susan Rose
Recording Fund for Contemporary Jewish Music" begins a trend.

And I hope that composers such as Jeffrey continue their work.  I'm
sure that they have our encouragement.  At least we can attend their
concerts and purchase their recordings.

Bob
-----Original Message-----
From: JeffSchan (at) aol(dot)com <JeffSchan (at) aol(dot)com>
To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Wednesday, July 21, 1999 7:00 AM
Subject: Foundation Support for Edge Jewish Music (was schmaltz...)


>Gideon wrote:
>
><<Has anyone on the list had success approaching the foundation world
to
>support Jewish music generally or "edge" Jewish music in
particular?>>
>
>Absolutely none, and unfortunately I have spent a good deal of time
trying.
>In trying to raise funds for my CD "No More In Thrall" and my cantata
"The
>Past Is Present", both dealing with the Holocaust and both having
budgets in
>5 figures, I did not receive a single penny from any Jewish sources.
I was
>able to get a personal referral to someone at the National Foundation
for
>Jewish Culture, and that person was kind enough to try to think of
Jewish
>sources of funding.  The only ones he came up with were places that
had
>already turned me down.  He quite frankly admitted that there is no
real
>support among Jewish foundations for the performing arts.  I think
this is
>pretty ridiculous, and perhaps if more of us tried to approach these
places,
>maybe they would get the idea that there is a need for money in this
area.
>
>In a pleasant change of pace, the National Foundation for Jewish
Culture has
>just established the "Susan Rose Recording Fund for Contemporary
Jewish
>Music".  Unfortunately they are giving out only 1 grant in its first
year.
>It seems to be oriented towards "classical" music:  "The Fund will
not
>support the recording of folk and other 'popular' genres nor music
intended
>specifically or primarily for liturgical contexts."  Anyone
interested should
>contact Ms. Rebecca Metzger: Rmetzger (at) jewishculture(dot)org
>
>Jeffrey Schanzer
>
>----------------------
jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+
>