by Aviv Kammay, Music Specialist

My name is Aviv Kammay and I am the music specialist at OSRUI. This is my 9th summer at camp and I am very excited for another fun summer! I grew up in Tel Aviv, Israel, and have lived in the United States since 2008. I earned a Master’s degree in Music Education from Northwestern University in 2010, and I now live in Madison, Wisconsin, with my wife (plus rabbit and cat!) and teach music at Wingra, an independent progressive school. I’m a composer as well as a music educator and my first choral work – Ahava, Ashan, Chalom –  has won the Guild of Temple Musicians young composer award and will be published this summer by the URJ’s Transcontinental Music publication.

In the Tiferet music studio we emphasize composition, songwriting, small ensemble performance, and listening, and we encourage artistic experimentation in our safe environment. Our theme for the first four weeks was Sephardic Judaism. The campers in the music studio listened to music from Andalusia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean, and created music of their own using the traditional modes and textures that characterize Sephardic Music. In Tiferet Bet the campers are exploring Megillat Kohelet (the book of Ecclesiastes) and creating musical interpretations of the various philosophical statements expressed in the book. Additionally, each camper will be encouraged to create a personal philosophical statement and bring it to life through original music.

Like every summer in Tiferet, the musicians will collaborate with other Tiferet campers from different studios (such as dancers, painters, and actors). Together the campers will create group stage pieces, learn about each other’s medium, and share their own passion for their art.