[HANASHIR:6439] Re: Certification of Synagogue Musicians

[Freedabet <Freedabet...>]

Monetary expenses are only one 'cost.'  Time is more finite than money, and 
no amount of financial support will increase the time you have to be with 
your family, etc.  

If you actually look at licensing tests for hairdressers and lawyers, for 
example, you will see dozens of questions which will never come up in real 
life.  While hairdressers have to meet an arbitrary standard to pass, a set 
percentage of test-takers 'pass the bar' each year regardless of the actual 
raw score (a true 'curve').  The Bar exam thus explicitly limits entry.  And, 
witness the explosion of 'hair braiding' services - hair care which doesn't 
require a license - in big cities.

And, why is it traditional to 'grandfather-in' existing practitioners?  1) To 
quell their objections and gain their support, and 2) because many of them 
could not pass the test.  The ACC and CA both did this when they were 
established 50+ years ago.

While in college I became a registered representative for commodities futures 
which requires a federal licensing test.  I passed with no problem while a 
lady with years of experience who knew far more than I could not pass the 
test and was therefore relegated to working under another broker at all times.

As for teachers being certified, it is not required for private school 
teachers in California, and prospective public school teachers can get an 
'emergency credential' at the drop of a hat, which then commits them to 
several years of meaningless 'education courses' at a local university to get 
their 'permanent credential' and keep their job.

Reform judaism has one official ordaining institution, but each congregation 
is free to appoint whomever it wishes to the position of Rabbi or Cantor.  I 
am not certified, but have been approached by both Conservative and Reform 
congregations despite my lack of a piece of paper.

I think that the primary issue driving salaries is (no surprise here) supply 
and demand.  When congregations limit their seach to Clergy with a hechsher 
(seal of approval) then they raise the 'price' they will pay.  Finding a 
wonderful Rabbi or Cantor is not easy, because there just aren't very many 
available period, let alone at the particular moment in time that the 
congregation is in need.  Finding a competent accompanist, pianist, organist, 
singer, songleader, or conductor is somewhat easier if their being Jewish is 
not an issue.  If being Jewish is required, then it can be even more 
difficult.  It is practically impossible and very expensive to find competent 
Jewish singers for the High Holy Days in Los Angeles.

I am all for useful training being available, such as the Institutes for 
Synagogue Musicians (or something close) that are run several times a year.  
And, certification is wonderful for those who attain it or are 
grandfathered-in.  From my study, I just don't believe it's good for the 
community.

-------- REPLY, Original message follows --------

> Date: Monday, 03-Jul-00 05:09 PM
> 
> From: Adrian Durlester         \ Internet:    (durleste (at) home(dot)com)
> To:   Hanashir Mail Server     \ Internet:    (hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org)
> 
> Subject:  [HANASHIR:6436] Re:  Certification of Synagogue Musicians
> 
> Sender: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> Reply-to:       hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> To:     hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> If licensing or certification becomes a barrier to those who "can't afford
> it" , might not a better solution be to provide suitable financial support
> for those people rather than abandon the idea of certification? If, as you
> suggest, some of those unable to afford are also those who are more capable,
> then a system of scholarships and financial aid would surely find them and
> support them!
> 
> I'd love to have references for your assertion that certification tests
> historically evolve to cover more than necessary. Perhaps a fair evaluation
> of the data might yield another result: declining standards?
> 
> I would suggest that the "one ordaining institution" barrier to the Reform
> rabbinate and cantorate is far more discriminatory and exclusive than the
> type of widely available certification training I have been suggesting.
> 
> Maybe artistic ability can't necessarily be tested (though I wouldn't accept
> that as a blanket statement) but it certainly can be "evaluated."
> 
> Will some people fall through the cracks? Probably. But I would weigh the
> potential benefit to both the congregations and the practitioners who
> receive certification as tipping the balance in favor.
> 
> Adrian
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
> > shamash(dot)org]On
> > Behalf Of Freedabet (at) aol(dot)com
> > Sent: Monday, July 03, 2000 8:28 AM
> > To: durleste (at) home(dot)com; hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
> > Cc: gtm (at) shamash(dot)org
> > Subject: [HANASHIR:6433] Re: Certification of Synagogue Musicians
> >
> >
> > Having studied such issues while earning a degree in Economics at
> > a 'laissez
> > faire'-leaning institution, I will disagree that licensing and
> > certification
> > in general is a desirable thing.  It acts primarily as a barrier
> > to entry to
> > the occupation to those who aren't certified, and benefits those who can
> > afford the time and/or money to become certified at the expense
> > of those who
> > aren't certified but perhaps more capable.  Historically,
> > certification tests
> > evolve to cover much more material than is necessary for
> > competence in the
> > occupation.  And, in the arts, the effects are magnified because artistic
> > ability can't be 'tested.'
> >
> > Michael
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

-------- REPLY, End of original message --------

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