Haifa - Israel Days 2 and 3

So to catch up from last week, we spent Monday evening through Wednesday afternoon in Haifa, south of Nahariya. Monday evening we tried walkng around near the hotel but nothing was open. Tuesday morning we drove an hour south to Kfar Saba, outside Tel Aviv, because I wanted to tur and see Katznelson High Schiol, which has the outstanding music school. Also because HaZamir Israel practices on Tuesday evenings. I met with Ronit Katz, manager of the music program. She explained the music program in Israel ends at grade 6. Instrumentalists can continue, but there isn't really anything for vocalists. In Kfar Saba, students from the middle schools choose which high school they want to attend based on their interests. Ronit made vocal/choir mandatory for all music students. They also have a partnership with the Conservatory down the road, which students get to perform with several times a year. I sat in a trumpet group lesson where the students were rehearsing Henry Purcells theme in a quartets. I also sat in Ronit's voice class, where students were lecturing their project on a famous singer. I am going to figure out how to use that idea in my weekday job.

In the evening, we sat in for the HaZamir Israel rehearsal. We know Lior and Sima from when I,Ana was in HaZamir Bergen. We love this group because Lior works so hard with them. They were working on a piece for Gala and a piece that Lior arranged from Mamma Mia. It was a ridiculous arrangement in at least 7 parts. I can't wait to hear it in March. This chapter not only learns the regular material for Gala, but also the Chamber Music and their own set of music. They are the premier group. I hope to incorporate some conducting ideas I learned from Lior.

Wednesday we spent the morning the Leo Baeck Education Center. What a fascinating campus and program. I'll write about them in my next blog. If I moved to Israel, I would want to work there.

Until the next blog....
From Israel,
Annice