Wyndmoor resident Ron Kravitz hosts weekly “Music in the Moment” improv jam sessions. The group of local musicians will perform Feb. 12 as part of the Music for People Community Improv Orchestra concert and workshops at Immaculata University in Malvern. (Photo by Stephen Ladner)[/caption]

by Barbara Sherf

Who knew that there was so much talent within the 900 members of the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work? Members of the professional group demonstrated their musical talent on Sunday, Jan. 31, at the first Arts Salon, organized by Germantown psychotherapist and social worker Claudia Apfelbaum and Mt. Airy resident, social worker and musician Art Miron and members of the Socio-Cultural Committee. Both Apfelbaum and Miron participated during an afternoon of performances in the social room at the Chestnut Hill Quaker Meeting.

Playing guitar, Miron opened the program with music that the more than 100 audience members sang along to. Apfelbaum, who danced with Rochelle Zimmerman, noted that it takes a certain bravado to perform in front of an audience. “Creativity takes courage,” she said, “and the folks you see up here today are indeed courageous.”

Despite having had oral surgery earlier in the day, PSCSW President Patricia Isakowitz talked about the need for those in the healing arts to have an outlet for creativity. “This has been an idea that has been brewing for more than two years when Art came to me and said he would love to organize something to showcase the talent in this community. He and Claudia helped form a committee to bring together this really wonderful event that I suspect will keep going.”

Judy Freed of Mt. Airy sang and performed “Food Fight” about her issues through the years with food, as well as “The Dependent Blues.” Between performances, visual artists talked about their paintings and drawings that were displayed on easels throughout the room. “We wanted to recognize the visual artists in addition to the performance artists in this room,” said Apfelbaum, as each of the four women artists stood by her work and described the balance it provides to their often-stressful roles as social workers or psychologists.

“This is a great outlet for me to express myself and get away from the paperwork and the grind,” said Blair Pomerantz. “I think many in this room have a creative side that comes out, and art gives them balance in dealing with some pretty complex issues in their practices.”

Wyndmoor resident Ron Kravitz and his Music in the Moment improvisational group closed out the session with several songs by the improv group in which members and the audience joined in. (Kravitz facilitates weekly community drum/music/vocal improv gatherings at his home in Wyndmoor. For 17 years he has been hosting the Underground at Ron's concerts in the 70-seat concert setting in the basement of his home.)

Psychotherapist and Mt. Airy resident Isaac Garfield introduced the Music in the Moment group, noting that he got involved as a way to de-stress. “This is a great outlet for me to just leave the client issues behind and just meditate on the music,” said Garfield, whose practice includes Mindfulness Training. “I love that no two pieces we perform are ever the same.”

PSCSW’s Peggy Tileston of Mt. Airy brought several instruments for the audience to play. “What I have in this bag are things I gathered in a half-hour from my home to show you that you don’t have to have pricey instruments to make beautiful music,” said Tileston, as she passed around cake pans, cheese graters, an empty pizza box and other common household items.

Tileston and Kravitz attended Bobby McFerrin’s “Circlesongs” workshop at the prestigious Omega Institute and have collaborated on many occasions since. “Even if you can’t sing, you can join in on the chanting or play a background instrument,” said the 63-year-old Kravitz, while leading the group as a conductor and then sitting in to play several instruments including a metallic drum-like instrument called a PANArt Hang and shruti box. According to his web site (www.shrutibox.com.), a shruti box is a wooden hand-pumped instrument that produces a slightly pulsating constant drone.

In addition to his role leading Music in the Moment, Kravitz is a facilitator and staff member for Music for People. Founded by renowned cellist David Darling, this 30-year-old nonprofit organization promotes expression through music improvisation and the creative arts. Their motto is “There are no ‘unmusical’ people, only those with no musical experience.”

MFP will be holding a weekend of events starting with the kick-off Improv Orchestra concert on Friday, Feb. 12, at Immaculata University in Malvern. For more information, visit www.musicforpeople.org.

Apfelbaum was clearly overwhelmed with the outpouring following the session. “Clearly this is something that resonated with our members. I have to believe that there will be a second annual Art Salon and beyond,” she said while a crew of volunteers carted the easels off to Allens Lane Art Center. “This building we are in was clearly put together by a gifted group of artists, and so it was fitting to honor them with our crafts in this space.”

For more information about the group, visit www.pscsw.org.