Re: mitzvot music (was Scarborough Fair tune)

[Jordan Hirsch <trombaedu...>]

on 7/16/02 10:59 AM, Jeremy A Schiffer at schiffer (at) columbia(dot)edu wrote:


>> but the problem seems to be a major cognitive dissonance between those
>> musicians
>> for whom simchas are the bottom of the food chain of what they do (concerts
>> are
>> usually at the top) and those who engage them, for whom b'nai mitzvot,
>> weddings,
>> etc. are singular (one would hope), sacred moments where, G_d willing, all is
>> perfect.  Needless to say, this is not a strictly Jewish issue, nor even an
>> exclusively musical one (at least, it can apply to serious photographers,
>> maybe
>> others), but I wonder what could be done to get everyone on the same page.
>> Your
>> thoughts?
> 

> I have been stressing to my bandmates the importance of making sure that
> every detail for something like this is planned ahead of time. What songs,
> if any, are to be played at what times. Some people have very specific
> thoughts for their special days (processional to one thing, recessional to
> something else, a specific tune for the vows, etc.) while others are happy
> with "something that sounds Jewish." The band (and photographers (I have
> also photographed weddings on a professional basis)) must absolutely get
> together with the people organizing the event and plan it down to the
> minute, if need be ("we want two horas, followed by something faster,
> then hava nagila, and finish with sunrise, sunset. Then you have to
> take requests for two hours"). If they have specific needs, you must be
> able to address them, or decline the job. It sucks to turn down an
> opportunity for money, but if you can't do the job that the organizers
> want, you have to refuse; anything else is unacceptable and
> unprofessional.
> 
> As long as you communicate and know the expectations on both sides, you
> should be fine.
> 
> -jeremy schiffer
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Jeremy A. Schiffer
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> Columbia University
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>


One could alleviate this problem by dealing with Bands that soecialkize in
playing at Jewish S'machot. While I play jobs with my Klezmer  bands, most
of my p[arty work is done with a very reputable Band that takes customer
service very seriously.
Among the many advantages of this is the fact that all too often, Klezmer
Bands that primarily play shows are not run as busineses that pay into the
Union health and pension plans, nor are they always up on appropriate pay
scale. This should not affect the client, but it does undermine the overall
professionalism of the job.

Jordan Hirsch  

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