ACC CCPD: In Other Words… Singing And Praying In Hebrew with Dr. Tali Tadmor

The window for primary language acquisition closes by the time we turn five years old. After that, it is possible to internalize a language and even become fluent - but learning it will forever be a life-long journey. Knowing this was the single greatest deterrent as I began my doctoral studies in Keyboard Collaborative Arts; how would I ever become an expert in vocal repertoire written in languages other than the two I grew up speaking?

Over the course of my studies, and subsequent career at LA Opera, I learned language acquisition techniques that were specific to music. I have gained great perspective on the relationship between a word and its essence, and I now know that it IS possible to be every bit as expressive and communicative singing in a foreign (non-native) tongue, without actually being fluent in the totality of that language. Translation itself is, in fact, a barrier to true understanding. But language acquisition is attainable and long-lasting.

In this workshop, Dr. Tali Tadmor will share her process for attaching meaning to new words, and digging deep past the surface layer of word-to-word translation. Whether you know very little Hebrew, or especially(!) if you have been singing Jewish prayer repertoire for decades, this workshop will give you the gift of renewed meaning. Join Dr. Tadmor as she takes you through the microscopic work of word empowerment using examples from Jewish liturgy and Hebrew poetry.

This session is open to members of the ACC and GTM. 

Click here for the Google Doc with the resources from the workshop.