[HANASHIR:15045] Re: cantorial certification

[Amy Fried, Ph.D. <jdkrheum...>]

Anyone know much about the Maalot Seminary in Rockville, MD? I know I met
someone at HN who was doing the program, but I've forgotten her name. I
sent away for some info on them, but it was limited.
-Thanks, 
Amy
On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 10:20:49 -0700 "Rabbi Richard Schachet"
<LVRabbi (at) cox(dot)net> writes:
> 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
> 
>     COME TO THE ROZHINKE RETREAT: http://rozhinke.org/
>     http://community.webshots.com/user/eriklfc
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> 
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