[HANASHIR:12600] Re: Adding Pro Singers To Choir

[Edward Katz <eekatzmd...>]

Well, I've been reading all the messages in this
thread, and couldn't resist adding my own.

A few years ago, here in Montreal, one of the Orthodox
shuls hired a new choirmaster, who decided to
eliminate the amateur men's chorus, and replace it
with a professional choir, many of whom were not
Jewish. This created quite a scandal. In fact, the
Rabbi was so incensed that, on Kol Nidrei evening, he
announced to the Congregation that he was resigning
because of it, and walked out of the synagogue before
services could even begin! He never returned.

There are really two issues in this thread:
professional vs. amateur singers, and Jewish vs.
non-Jewish singers. At Shaare Zion, a Conservative
shul in Montreal, we have the best of all possible
worlds. Our 20-member mixed choir has 8 professionals,
and 12 fairly advanced amateurs. All of us are Jewish,
but there are only 4 choir members who are also
members of the congregation (including two of the
professionals). Of the 12 amateurs, about half are
volunteers, and the other half receives a minimal
stipend, which requires them to be present at all
Saturday and holiday services. All the amateurs can
read music; most of us have taken solfege and voice
training. Congregants are not encouraged to audition
unless they have had sufficient musical training.

We are fortunate in being located in a city where the
Jewish population is large enough to have a sufficient
number of high-calibre singers. Also, the choir has
been in existence for some 40 years. Its reputation is
established, and many people, especially non-members,
come to services mainly to hear us. 

I didn't intend to ramble on so long, but I just want
to emphasize that the ideal synagogue choir is an
all-Jewish mixed amateur/professional group.

Edward Katz, M.D.
Shaare Zion Congregation Choir
Montreal, Quebec
 

 



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