Re: jewish music masters thesis

[Martin Horwitz <mhorwitz...>]

Response to both Elena and Prof.Edelmman
Allow me to take the side of Elena's professors. So far all Elena seems to
have is a topic: Jewish music
in schools and a need: to do "some research". interviews,statistics, etc.
But before one does research of
any kind, it is usual to have a reason. What is it that we don't know about
Jewish music in schools that
this research might tell us? At present it only looks like an exercise which
will end up telling us what we
already know.
For me, working for ten years in Jewish communities in Russia and Ukraine,
one of the questions is : why
are the arts an AUTOMATIC , fundamentally important element in spiritual
development , self esteem, respect in the
eyes of ones non_Jewish neighbors in Russia and Ukraine, but in the US and,
it appears, Australia, it is only
a methodological question.
My Russian advisor forty years ago astonished me by asking me about a poet I
was studying (Andrei Bely):
Martin, do you LOVE Bely?
So, in turn, I would ask Elena two questions: Do you love any of the Jewish
music that is taaught in schools?
Then, why not study THAT MUSIC with a view to finding out what music others
LOVE, and/or how one can
better connect that Jewish music, be it klezmer or "Khanike ,oy khanike" or
Chassidic nigunim is not more widely
used than "Frogs here, frogs there, frogs everywhere"?
I have a strong hunch that a more carefullly thought out idea "for reserach"
that begins with what you love, just might
get a better response from your professors.
Martin Horwitz,Director
Jewish Community Development Fund in Russia and Ukraine
c/o AJWS
45 W.36th Street, 10th floor
NY, NY 10018
tel. 212-273-1642    fax:212-736-3463  email:jcdf (at) ajws(dot)org     See our 
new
website at www.ajws.org/jcdf/
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "medelman" <medelman (at) gratz(dot)edu>
To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 4:50 PM
Subject: RE: jewish music masters thesis


> Elana, it seems to me that if you were able to quantify the effect that
> singing/learning Jewish songs has on Jewish identity, you would be able to
> make a substantial contribution!  My own Ed.D thesis was on factors
> affecting music programming in Jewish schools in Metropolitan New York,
but
> explored more "whether" and how much music education time was programmed,
> rather than what the curriculum entailed.  The other responses you've had
> about the obvious importance of holiday songs are all valid, and should
> reinforce the notion that music and musical experiences contribute
> (significantly) to the development on identity.  I should think your
> advisors would recognize this.  To convince them, you might do a search to
> see if others have done work on the relationship between national/ethnic
> identification and school music programs.  Look especially for Hungary and
> other European countries where folk music (and music literacy in general,
> ala Kodaly and Bartok) have played important roles in school curricula.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Marsha Bryan Edelman
> Professor of Music and Education
> Gratz College, Melrose Park, PA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> [mailto:owner-jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org]On Behalf Of Elana
> Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 5:28 PM
> To: World music from a Jewish slant
> Subject: Re: jewish music masters thesis
>
>
> i am a music teacher in a jewish school - and really wanted to write a
> thesis on the year of music in a jewish school - what we do and why?
> HOwever, my uni did not feel that was appropiate for a RESEARCH topic. I
> came up with interviewing different ages, children, teenagers, and adults
> about their experiences learning jewish songs in a jewish school. I am
open
> to other suggesions for another topic - that is RESEARCH - along the music
> education line. I know why we teach songs and the value of them , however,
i
> need to complete a RESEARCH topic for my thesis. I am keen to hear other
> suggestions if you are willing to share them! elana
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Martin Horwitz" <mhorwitz (at) ajws(dot)org>
> To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 3:06 AM
> Subject: Re: jewish music masters thesis
>
>
> > Dear Aussi,
> > Some obvious answer and a question. One, children like to sing, we want
> them
> > to
> > learn about the holidays. What better way than to teach them songs? Why
> did
> > you
> > pick this topic?
> > Two, from thirteen years experience working with Jewish schools in
Russia
> > and Ukraine, it is my
> > observation and considered view that , for Jews in the former Soviet
> Union,
> > music and the arts in general
> > is perhaps the central mode through which they eagerly return to
> religious,
> > repeat, religious observance.
> > In this respect, the Jewish school is in almost all cases of greater
> Jewish
> > significance than the synagogue in the
> > Jewish community.
> > Good luck on your research. What is your field of specialty, your
> > discipline?
> > Martin Horwitz,Director
> > Jewish Community Development Fund in Russia and Ukraine
> > c/o AJWS
> > 45 W.36th Street, 10th floor
> > NY, NY 10018
> > tel. 212-273-1642    fax:212-736-3463  email:jcdf (at) ajws(dot)org     See 
> > our
new
> > website at www.ajws.org/jcdf/
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "I. Oppenheim" <i(dot)oppenheim (at) xs4all(dot)nl>
> > To: "World music from a Jewish slant" <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
> > Cc: <elanamusic (at) optusnet(dot)com(dot)au>
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 10:33 AM
> > Subject: fwd: jewish music masters thesis
> >
> >
> > > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > > Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2004 12:50:18 +0200 (CEST)
> > > From: elanamusic (at) optusnet(dot)com(dot)au
> > > Subject: jewish music masters thesis
> > >
> > > hi - i need help from anyone who would like to comment
> > > on the following...
> > >
> > > Why are Jewish festival music/songs so important as
> > > music education in a jewish school? i am keen on any
> > > books, or journal articles, or experts in this
> > > field.... please help an Aussi!!!
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>

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