[HANASHIR:15043] Re: cantorial certification

[Rabbi Richard Schachet <LVRabbi...>]

I might add that The Academy for Jewish Religion has the only Cantorial schol 
west of the Mississippi.  Their program is designed for people who are older 
and seeking to be vewsted as a Cantor.  Classes are Sunday night thru Tuesday 
only.
They have an excellent faculty, including Nate Lamm.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: rahel 
  To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org 
  Sent: Sunday, August 10, 2003 8:15 AM
  Subject: [HANASHIR:15042] Re: cantorial certification


  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

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