32 | FEBRUARY 11 • 2021
R
andy Kaplan teaches in two
ways — through classes at Farber
Hebrew Day School and through
songs he writes, performs and records.
Kaplan hopes both ways have the ele-
ment of fun.
During the pandemic, Kaplan
instructs Farber classes that include lit-
erature, composition and drama.
His most recent song, “The Mouth Is
Connected to the Nose,” explains why
masks are needed. It asks:
“Are you equal to the task of putting
on your mask
So that it covers up your nostrils
(those two holes)?”
The inspiration for the song came as
Kaplan was walking through a supermarket
and saw two young, muscular guys — each
wearing a mask over his mouth but not his
nose — regardless how close they came to
other shoppers.
“It just seemed so arrogant and hubris-
tic to me,” Kaplan said. “Whatever you
believe about the efficacy of masks, it’s
pretty clear about the rules of the stores.
You can’t come in without a mask, and
it’s better to operate within a system of
rules so fairness prevails.
“This day and age, I hesitate to walk
up to anybody and say ‘put your mask
on.’ There are horror stories about
people doing that; but as a writer, I
always have an outlet. A tune comes to
me, and I can say it that way. Probably,
more people hear and get the message
[through a song] than if I had just said
something to guys in a store.
“I don’t know what the controver-
sy is with masks. It just seems like a
respectful thing to do. It just drives
me crazy when people are flouting
that rule for no reason and endanger-
ing people.”
Kaplan, 53, who lives in Bloomfield
Hills, grew up on Long Island and
attended the University of Michigan
into his sophomore year. He moved to
California to pursue a career in acting
and music and appeared in guest roles
on programs such as Growing Pains,
Beauty and the Beast and A Different
World.
While working in entertainment, he
also earned a degree in English from the
University of California at Los Angeles
and got a temporary job at a preschool.
That job veered him into music for
young people and their families.
ACCLAIM FOR SONGS
Kaplan has released seven full-length
family albums and about a dozen digital
singles, available through his website,
randykaplan.bandcamp.com. During
the pandemic, he released six of those
singles. One, “Your Mask Is Like Your
Underwear,” was written after another
teacher complained of problems getting
her son to keep his mask clean.
Kaplan’s recordings for children have
been recognized with National Parenting
Product Awards and Nickelodeon
Parents’ Picks Awards. His work has
been on the Top 10 lists of National
Public Radio and People magazine.
He also is a three-time winner of the
ASCAP Plus Award.
With teaching responsibilities partly
digital and partly face-to-face, Kaplan
has been able to maintain a studio at the
school.
“I like teaching virtually,” said Kaplan,
who moved to Michigan in 2015 to be
close to the family of his wife, the former
Julie May, whom he met in California
while she was pursuing a singing career.
“I have tricks of sharing screens, moving
to a quick video, highlighting someone
and using the availability to chat.
“The problem is that it’s hard to mon-
itor certain students who might not be
paying attention. They could wind up
falling more into the background, which
is not good for them. The students who
are intrinsically motivated thrive online.”
The Kaplans’ 9-year-old son learns dig-
ital techniques from Dad.
“I’ve been doing MP3 digital releases,
so there’s no CD during the pandemic,”
Kaplan said. “People can listen to them a
few times for free. They will eventually be
linked with iTunes, Spotify and all of that.
“For ‘The Mouth Is Connected to
the Nose,’ I got to work remotely with
a friend, Mike West, who is a family
recordings producer, as well as his chil-
dren — now living in Wales.”
While Kaplan sang and played guitar,
West performed harmonies and worked
with banjo, mandolin and bass. Julian
West can be heard on drums, shakers and
tambourines. Vega West added to the
harmonies, and Esther West did unison
singing.
Cover that Nose!
RANDYKAPLAN.BANDCAMP.COM
ARTS&LIFE
MUSIC
Farber teacher composes songs for kids about
facemasks and safety during the pandemic.
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER