Hello my friends, fans and colleagues,
First of all, I want to wish a very sweet New Year to the Jews on the list. Rosh Hashanah begins this evening, and I know that many of us will be celebrating.
Secondly, I wanted to let you know about some exciting things that are going on here:
Awakened World 2012 Conference - October 13-21, 2012
Next month, I will be traveling to Rome and Florence to spend a week in Italy at a revolutionary (and evolutionary) conference that will bring together religious and spiritual leaders from around the world in an effort to bring light and solutions to some of the most challenging issues facing our world today. I am honored to be a part of the musical cohort that will be inspiring the conference and taking part in the panel discussions.
Desert Gathering Arts and Culture Series
Some of you may be aware that for the past year, I have taken part in an entrepreneurial and leadership group called Start Me Up AZ, sponsored by Rabbi Darren Kleinberg and his organization, Valley Beit Midrash. 10 young Jewish leaders from around the Phoenix area gathered to share ideas for bringing meaning and accessibility to the Jewish tradition here in the Valley. My project was selected by the committee to receive a $10,000 grant, which will allow me (with the help of other committee members) to launch a Jewish Music Festival right here in Phoenix in the Spring of 2013. I will keep you posted on further developments as they arise. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to create this new avenue for engagement in the community.
Songleader Boot Camp - November 10-11 at Temple Solel in Paradise Valley
This Veteran's Day weekend, Rick Recht and I will be co-leading a songleading conference at Temple Solel that is open to the whole community. This is a regional version of the national conference that I have co-led with Rick in St. Louis for the past three years. It is a powerful, intense weekend filled with hands-on experiences, new repertoire and useful techniques designed to infuse our community with a culture of Jewish music and songleading. Playing an instrument is not required to participate. If you have questions or would like to register for the event, please visit www.songleaderbootcamp.com.
PJ Library CD Release
My CD, Everyday Blessings, was chosen by the PJ Library to be part of their annual holiday music distribution. This December, the CD will go out to 7,500 homes around the country and enjoyed by 6 year-olds and their families. For more information, you can visit their website HERE.
My wish for all of us this year is that we return to the things that make us happy and fulfilled while continuing to learn and grow and push our boundaries in the days to come.
L'shana Tova,
Todd
PS. If you haven't already "liked" me on Facebook, please do so HERE. Thank you as always for your support!
