As we approach Shabbat Shira – the annual musical commemoration of the Song the Israelites sang after crossing The Sea, we’ve invited longtime member and Shabbat Band regular Dennis Klainberg to share his thoughts on making music at RSNS. I love how Dennis makes crystal clear the important role music can play in bringing people (family! community!) together. And I hope YOU will join us for two musical experiences coming up at RSNS: Soulful Shabbat with our house band on Friday, Jan 31 at 7:30pm, and Shabbat Shira at our Family Services on Friday, February 7 at 6:30pm!
Yours harmoniously,
Cantor Eric
Playing with Pride and With Love, by Dennis Klainberg
I love playing my trumpet with the “shul band” on Soulful Shabbat, and it’s all because of my mother!
Growing up in Manhasset in the ’70’s, you either had a lacrosse stick grafted into your hand at age 3 or you chose music as one of those extracurricular activities required to get into college. Growing up JEWISH in Manhasset, especially being a Queens transplant in 4th grade, had its own challenges.
My love for baseball was sated by summer PBC leagues, and overtaken by my passion for tennis. However, just prior to Junior High, my mother gently but resolutely suggested I take up an instrument, ANY INSTRUMENT, just to ensure some positive social engagement: and boy, did this change my life. I mastered the instrument and was in all the high school bands, and was hired to play in the summers for a Fire Dept. Marching Band and a Czech Polka band. At Columbia, I joined the Marching Band and pretty soon, wound up becoming the manager, and then head manager of all the Columbia bands.
Since then, I played Klezmer with a JCC band and have spent time writing music and performing at the weddings of my daughters. Overall, playing trumpet during Soulful Shabbat gives me the opportunity to share my talent with fellow congregants,–and perhaps most importantly, gives my mother, Dr. Marilyn Klainberg, the opportunity to KVELL.
Dennis Klainberg
