For over 30 years Steve Dropkin has been involved in Jewish music. He first started songleading at the Eisner Camp in Great Barrington, MA at the age of 14. In high school he was the Regional Songleader for the Jersey Federation of Temple Youth, a region of NFTY, the national youth organization of the Reform movement. That experience led to his inclusion on three of the NFTY music series, "Songs NFTY Sings" record albums, where he sang and played guitar. At college, while majoring in theatre at Clark University in Worcester, MA, Steve's songleading career blossomed. He became widely known for his unique ability to motivate groups in singing and in prayer. He has now led literally hundreds of retreat weekends and conclaves. Steve has been a regular guest lecturer at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion School of Sacred Music in New York for over 10 years. His presentations on contemporary Jewish music have been heard by scores of cantorial students who have used his concepts to balance contemporary music with the more traditional Jewish modes. He has also been a guest panelist at the American Conference of Cantors national convention. Even though Steve has been writing songs little more than 12 years, it is amazing how quickly his songs have found their way into the mainstream of Reform Jewish music. Many of his songs are already "standards" in Reform camps and religious schools, as well as in worship services. He is widely regarded as a major new composer of contemporary Jewish music and liturgy. Steve's songs have been heard on Tower Airlines' "in-flight" music programming. His powerful song, "If Not Now, When?" was chosen as the New Jersey State Anthem for the first World AIDS Day commemoration. He has been a finalist in the American Jewish Song Festival, as well as the Zionist Organization of America Song Contest. His music is published by the ACC in their new Cantor's Life-Cycle Manual. Transcontinental Music Publications, the largest publisher of Jewish music in the world, has included more than 20 of Steve's songs in numerous projects. You can find his work in "The Complete Shireinu", "Shabbat Anthology", volumes I and II, and in "The Complete Jewish Songbook for Children, Volume 2: Manginot", a curriculum of children's music. His songs can also be found on the "Ruach" CD's, 5761 and 5763, as well as a new collection of music called "The Nigun Anthology". Two of Steve's major pieces have been released in choral settings for synagogue choir, and he will have a third choral selection released in the next few months. Steve has performed all over the United States, in England, and in Israel. He has twice been a featured performer the URJ National Biennial Convention, also at three National NFTY Conventions, as well as 13 CAJE Conferences. Dropkin is considered to be a Master Songleader and teacher, having presented at numerous Jewish conferences and conventions. Steve is the founder of the Birmingham Jewish Folk Choral. Currently Steve is in the midst of recording his 5th CD entitled "On That Day", fresh on the heels of his other solo CD's "Innerpeace"and "Keep Our Hopes Alive". Dropkin's two other CD's were recorded with his former trio, Ketzev. He has two beautiful daughters, Marni-16, and Ariel -13. |
