[HANASHIR:15042] Re: cantorial certification

[rahel <rahel...>]

Shalom,

I am very glad that Erik has written and informed us of the serious 
business of being a cantor. I have never considered myself a cantor. I was 
asked to lead the musical part of the service and consider myself a 
songleader - no more no less. I was also asked to be sure that I not become 
a soloist - but rather to encourage the congregation to sing along and that 
I, too, blend in with the congregation once the songs are learned. This has 
worked out well for me. But I have others who have joined me who would like 
to be soloists, and perhaps even consider themselves "cantors". As head 
songleader, I also have the task of curbing the desires of the others to be 
soloists or act as cantors.

I had considered going back to school to learn the profession of cantor. I 
explored what was involved and noticed the commitment to be extremely 
serious. I had no qualms about that. In fact, I was highly impressed. I 
then looked at my own circumstances and realized I could not, at this stage 
of my life, enter into a full-fledged degree program at this time. But 
exploring the requirements for this career helped me to realize that what I 
am doing at my synagogue IS songleading. I have no intention to ever call 
myself a cantor, nor to act as one in my synagogue or any other.

I'm not sure when songleading became an active part of synagogue life. 
Maybe someone could fill me in on the history and development of 
songleading in the synagogue? Obviously there is a potential need to define 
"songleader" and "cantor", including defining the actual "job description" 
and requirements for both. Is songleading something that is more prevalent 
in Reform, and other more liberal minded congregations? Is it something 
that has popped up because synagogues want to include more music in their 
service and, because there is no cantor available, they ask a competent and 
willing musician to fill this role?

I am a songleader by default. I have had to spend a lot of time learning 
the service repertoire. My approach has been as a musician - not as a 
knowledgeable or informed scholar or student of Hebrew/religious/Jewish 
etc. liturgy etc. My knowledge of Hebrew is certainly excellent after 
having lived in Israel for so long. That has definitely made liturgical 
singing an easier task for me. Though modern and biblical/prayerbook Hebrew 
is quite different. I have had to learn the service order, and delve into 
"kavannah". I have had to give much thought as to which nusach to sing, and 
which accent to choose (sepharadi/ashkenazi), and have had to make definite 
musical decisions about style. I have had to consider musical keys to sing 
in  - should I accommodate the congregation in a general pitch, or should I 
sing in my own key? What about instrumentation? Some people want to hear an 
organ sound, some people like a folk guitar sound, some people like the 
"cantorial" vocal only sound.

I am by no means qualified as a cantor. I am a very qualified songleader 
who has had to fill in many gaps in my own training and knowledge in order 
to be a serious and effective liturgical songleader.

I would love to see more discussion about the two professions: cantor and 
songleader.

Anyone?

Rahel

At 07:24 AM 8/10/2003 -0700, you 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
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>
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