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Glaser Musicworks is excited to offer you an innovative musical and educational opportunity for your community. Kol Bamidbar/A Musical Journey Through the Five Books of Moses is a unique album/theatrical concert package. For over ten years, performer/composer Sam Glaser has travelled to participating communities in North America performing the interactive musical in concert with the local afternoon and day school children. Kol Bamidbar is a fun and engaging musical with some of the most memorable and moving songs in Sam's repertoire. Over the course of a month the students work on the easily-learned music with their teachers and/or songleaders, enjoy the lesson plans in the Kol Bamidbar Classroom Activity Guide and are featured co-stars on the day of the event. Short pieces of witty dialog from the Kol Bamidbar Libretto co-written with David Sacks, Executive Producer of 3rd Rock From the Sun and the Simpsons, are performed by the kids, bridging the themes of the songs and creating a sense of dramatic continuity that builds to the rousing finale. Kol Bamidbar is a magical event for audience and participants alike, utilizing the impact of an energetic, musical theater-style setting to make Torah accessible and relevant.
Project Overview
The songs on Kol Bamidbar are simple enough for kids to handle and yet possess a level of sophistication that all ages enjoy. The songs are strategically oriented towards specific age groups in order to spread the opportunities for involvement to a variety of grade levels. If the school only has one choir, it is possible for the same group of kids to be singing on all the numbers. Most of the songs utilize the choir singing along with Sam on the easily memorized chorus', with the option of adding simple harmonies. An example of a potential breakdown by age groups is as follows, listed by title of song, subject matter and recommended grades:
1. My Letter in the Torah /Opening Number/Preschool - 1st Grade
2. The Seven Days/Creation/Preschool - 1st
3. Two by Two/Noah/2nd - 3rd
4. Across the River/Abraham/2nd - 3rd
5. Keep the Dream Alive /Jacob & Joseph/4th-5th
6. Unbreakable Soul/Slavery/4th-5th
7. Kol Bamidbar,Kol Anot/Sinai & Golden Calf/4th-5th Grade
8. I Count/Numbers/6th - 8th Grade
9. Uvenei Yerushalayim/Deuteronomy/6th - 8th Grade
10. Milk and Honey,V'kareyv P'zureynu/Crossing the Jordan/6th - 8th Grade .
11. My Letter in the Torah (reprise),Hora/Finale/Entire Cast
Sponsoring institutions are encouraged to team up with other synagogues/JCC's/day schools to bring kids throughout the community together for the performance. It is advised that a musical director be appointed to coordinate the efforts of the various teachers and to serve as the conductor on the day of the show.
To aid the musical director, Glaser Musicworks will send a master set of lyric sheets, the script, sheet music, director's notes and a rehearsal CD with the kids' vocals removed. A Kol Bamidbar Classroom Activity Guide is included in the package to offer teachers a variety of ways to integrate the material into their lesson plans. Additionally, the concert producer will receive a CD-ROM with the tour and album graphics, photographs, headlines and poster layouts, complete with a template to allow the elements to be easily customized at any local copy store. Extensive coordination with Glaser Musicworks is available in order to plan for promotion, choice of venue and sound system and keyboard rental.
Kol Bamidbar CDs will be made available to each organization at distributor cost ($7.50) so that they can be offered for sale to families with children involved. A minimum purchase of 100 CDs is required for participation and it is recommended that each student own his/her own copy to insure that each familiy will become intimately familiar with the material. When all involved are "hooked" on the music it is a virtual guarantee of incredible anticipation and enthusiasm. Assuming that the retail price of $15 is charged per student, significant funds can be raised to offset the cost of the program. Additionally, 100% cotton, black heavyweight Kol Bamidbar t-shirts are available at $10 each to give the group a sharp, uniform look.
On the date of the show, a two hour soundcheck with Sam will take place to mark positions, arrange microphones and run the songs. The total running time of the musical is approximately seventy minutes. When time permits, the show can be followed by refreshments, an autograph party or an invitational "meet and greet" for patrons.
Every Kol Bamidbar concert is different. The show has been performed with anywhere from 50 to 750 kids. Some groups paint large backdrops for the stage/bimah, others incorporate costumes into the program, while others include material created by students via the Classroom Activity Guide. Some movement and even sign language can also be integrated as long as it doesn't distract from the quality of the singing.
Financial Details for Participation
The price of the Kol Bamidbar musical package is just slightly more than a standard Sam Glaser concert. Please call the office for a quote. A 50% deposit plus a separate check for the desired amount of CDs/t shirts (minimum 100 units) must be received in order to reserve a concert date, and the balance is payable at the event. A rapid reply will guarantee preferred dates such as Sundays, the week of Chanukah, Yom Ha'atzmaut, graduation, etc.
In summary, the participating organization will receive:
1. A community-wide concert with Sam Glaser on the date of their choice.
2. A two-hour dress rehearsal with Sam on the day of the show
3. Music lead sheets, lyric sheets, script, classroom activity guide and instrumental accompaniment CDs with rights to duplicate specifically in conjunction with the preparation for the concert.
4. Coordinated promotional campaign assistance and all relevant publicity materials provided on CD-ROM.
5. Opportunity to purchase CDs at distributor cost ($7.50) and resell at $15 to each participant. (ie. 200 kids/teachers involved = $1500 to offset the expenses of the program)
Please bear in mind that additional expenses such as sound system rental and Sam's travel costs are not included in the program price.
Wrap Up
A bit of math will reveal that just the CD sales and the sale of tickets to the event will quickly amount to a break-even. This unique event is ideal for trans-denominational participation and communal bond building. While the event can be utilized as a fundraiser, if sponsors can underwrite the initial fee the possibility of offering it to the entire community free of charge will guarantee maximum attendance and enthusiasm. Also, options such as spending an entire Shabbaton weekend with Sam, adding an adult-style Sam Glaser concert or workshop, or additional school appearances are available.
The Kol Bamidbar soundtrack album and concert will educate listeners about the wonder of our Torah and instill pride in our Jewish history while providing enriching entertainment. Children will be united with their teachers and songleaders in an effort to prepare for the big concert event, while utilizing the subjects in the music to encourage discussion and further exploration. A professionally-publicized community/family concert will take place with the likelihood of a full house, considering the great anticipation built into the program together with the wide participation of all ages. We hope you will agree that the opportunity manifest in Kol Bamidbar is one that will make a lasting impression on your entire community.