[HANASHIR:15041] Re: cantorial certification

[Ros Schwartz <ros_schwartz...>]

"Paying your dues" in the existing system

vs

creative approaches to finding new ways to accomplish the same purpose.

I did not hear Ellen as asking for an easy "watered down" version of 
cantorial training.

Rather, I heard her looking for creative ways to integrate the necessary 
studies into her existing life, without demanding that she uproot  herself.

Certainly it is faster and more intense to immerse oneself in a school 
program, to study with single-minded devotion, four years to certification.

But sometimes personal and financial constraints make this impossible. 
It's not as simple as saying "personal sacrifice is needed", if other 
people are involved, or if there is simply not enough money.

So why not offer the option of pursuing these same studies, over a 
longer period of time, in ways that allow students to integrate their 
studies with other aspects of their lives.

With modern information technology, many studies can be done 
long-distance, with on-line discussions and telephone mentorship 
components.  Those components which require in-person contact (e.g. 
supervision as a cantor-in-training leads services, for example) can be 
arranged to accomodate the logistical needs of student and teacher.  For 
example, I've taken intensive courses where we studied 12 hours a day 
for 5 days - you can pack a lot of learning into 60 hours - and I only 
had to take one week off work.  For another example, our Rabbi took his 
PhD long-distance, flying into Toronto every few months to meet with his 
supervisor.

It can be _more_ difficult to be a part-time than a full-time student. 
And long-distance studies require focus and commitment as intense as 
in-person studies.  Those who choose this path, would graduate with much 
direct life experience, as well as hands-on practice at balancing many 
different aspects of their life.

As I understand it, there is a definite shortage of trained Jewish 
professionals, including rabbis / cantors / and educators.  Why not look 
at creative new ways to offer the appropriate training, so that it is 
available to a wider group of people?

Erik, as a member of the board of the American Conference of Cantors, I 
would hope that you would at least consider these possibilities.

- Ros Schwartz

erik contzius wrote:
> i am GREATLY concerned about postings, such as below,
> dealing with "cantorial certification." i sit on the
> board of the American Conference of Cantors and have
> also recently sat on some of the exams for our
> certification process. 
> 
> The process is purposely difficult because the job is
> difficult! the title "cantor" is not one to be earned
> lightly, otherwise, the title would mean nothing. the
> requirements for Hebrew, for example, are purposefully
> hefty because we expect cantors to know what they are
> chanting in hebrew from the inside out. i have a
> masters degree in sacred music from the hebrew union
> college because i earned it!
> 
> the term "cantor" does not mean what it meant 100
> years ago, folks. the "job" is not a "job"... it's a
> calling, just like the "rabbinate" is a calling.
> 
> i appreciate anyone who sings in the synagogue. many
> small synagogues need lay people and trained singers
> to help empower them in worship. i also appreciate
> people who wish to study more about jewish music and
> feel knowlegable in nusakh hat'fillah, cantillation,
> and the like. i'd love all my congregants to be
> knowledgeable in jewish musical repetoire.
> 
> that doesn't make them a cantor any more than studying
> the bible weekly and learning how to decode one page
> of talmud makes them a rabbi. a Cantor is Clergy.
> anyone interested in pursuing a career as a cantor (or
> a "certified cantor") needs to take it seriously. in
> the winter issue of Reform Judaism, there is going to
> be published a large article about how the career of
> the cantor has changed drastically over the last 50
> years (i'm working on that as well!). 
> 
> Friends, i mean this with the utmost respect--i take
> my career path extremely seriously. i do not want to
> see the level of my profession diminished by any sort
> of so-called "certification process" which does not
> expect any less of a candidate what the Hebrew Union
> College or the Jewish Theological Seminary would
> expect. When i call someone a "colleague," it is
> because i know that their level of training,
> commitment, and knowledge is on par with mine. it
> doesn't mean we sing the same music, nor have the same
> level of expertise in every area--but our background
> is common.
> 
> i'm sorry if people do not feel they can commit their
> lives (via family transplantation, time commitment,
> etc.), but i've seen it all--when i was in the
> seminary, a fellow student, a single mom, brought both
> of her children (7 & 5) to israel with her and
> completed her rabbinic studies in cincinatti. i know
> everyone has their own stuff to deal with. but that's
> what committment really means--some personal
> sacrifice. 
> 
> not trying to be preachy here, folks, just tellin' it
> like it is.
> 
> btw, fyi i'm also an alumni recruiter for HUC
> (rabbinic, cantorial, ed., etc). if you're interested
> in any of the programs that the HUC has to offer, feel
> free to send an e-mail. i won't be able to reply until
> thursday, as i'll be running the rozhinke retreat this
> week: http://rozhinke.org/
> 
> all the best,
> erik
> 
> 
> 
>>Someone last week or so sent a posting about
>>cantorial certification. I know some people who have
>>independent certifications for rabinial studies, and
>>becomed ordained,  and I thought about cantorial
>>certification;  I would like to find or suggest to
>>you professionals out there  an online or
>>independent certification program for those of us
>>who are solosits or songleaders with experience
>>and/or cantorial jobs (full or part time or
>>occasional)  and who want to further our education
>>and receive some kind of offical recognition as well
>>as have a disciplined way to increase our knowledge
>>without having to travel. 
>>
> 
> 
>>As the writer of the post had mentioned, the
>>requirements in Hebrew (for example)for the
>>certification now available are a little hefty for
>>some of us. I have been learning a bit on my own and
>>did at one time take local clases, but I am quite
>>far from being able to pass the entrance
>>requirements and as far as my cantorial singing
>>goes, it helps to know as much of the language as
>>possible, but I do most of the singing from
>>transliteration. Besides, As much as I want to
>>improve, I have a family to take care of, I am an
>>"older" citizan, I have other responsibilities, I do
>>have a cantorial job, and I find it improbable  to
>>go to NYC, or CINC. or LA, etc. But what I can do is
>>be on a computer, make tapes if need be for a
>>course, whatever it takes.  
>>
>>If any of you hear of anything like this, I hope
>>you'll post it. BTW, I did once go many eons ago to
>>NYC for a three or four day course for Temple
>>Musicians, and it was very valuable. 
>>
>>Ellen Lerner
>>Congregatation Etz Chaim
>>Rochester, Ny
>>
>>
> 
> 
> 
> =====
> Cantor Erik L. F. Contzius
> New Rochelle, New York
> 
> COME TO THE ROZHINKE RETREAT: http://rozhinke.org/
> http://community.webshots.com/user/eriklfc
> http://soundswrite.com/swstore1.html#howexcellent
> http://tinr.org/
> 
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software
> http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com
> 
> 


------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+