[HANASHIR:15092] the whole cantor thing (ashamnu, bagadnu, katavti harbei!)

[erik contzius <contzius...>]

(Adrian--don?t shoot me! if it?s too long, feel free
to cut this from the listserv. And if it does make the
listserv, PLEASE DON?T HIT ?REPLY? WITHOUT DELETING
THE ORIGINAL MESSAGE! Our poor listserv will crash!!)

Friends,

I apologize for having posted and then leaving for 4
days... interesting subject, no? I have read the
copious responses on this subject and it would seem
that there are three distinct issues that have been
raised (as far as I can acertain):

1) The issue of who/what is a ?cantor? and how to
become one.
2) The issue of sincere, intelligent Jewish musicians
seeking to better improve their craft within the
synagogue framework.
3) The issue of having some sort of recognition for a
level of study which is strictly for the synagogue
musician (specifically, a shaliakh tzibbur).

I thank Ellen for more clearly articulating her actual
need: mainly #2 above.

Many have made very nice suggestions regarding
long-distance and/or on-line learning towards this
goal. As well, many have made the arguement regarding
how the aural musical traditions have been transmitted
from one jewish musician functionary to another--that
of discipleship. Here?s the rub: Music can only be
taught in a long-distance manner only so far. After
that, it DEMANDS human interaction in order to improve
one?s craft. It is not sufficient (imho) if we are
going to be talking a level of musical education which
surpasses what one can glean from the UAHC?s many
offerings, or classes given by the Guild of Temple
Musicians, etc. It requires working with another
professional Jewish musician to be coached in
interpretation. Further (and while we?re on the
subject), it should also require, in tandem, the study
of music itself! I, as a professional Cantor, have
been studying voice before, during, and since i?ve
attended HUC. I have made it a point to coach with
colleagues. I have no qualm about providing any amount
of venues to any and all who wish to study Jewish
music in its entirety. I commend the effort and
encourage its pursuit. In fact, if you want to write
me privately about any particular fields or areas
regarding the subject, I can reccomend a variety of
books, present on-line resources, and programs
available to that end. But the sheer amount of human
interaction which is required not to learn the notes,
but to learn about the spaces between the notes, is
great. 

as you can tell, i?m very serious about this
subject--but i?m also appreciative of people?s desires
on the subject, and would love to be of help to anyone
who wishes to better themselves as more educated in
the field of Jewish liturgical music.

Regarding #3 (above), I am not sure exactly what
people are seeking from a program that offers a level
of recognition. There are certainly several
institutions that have degrees, whether Bachelor or
Masters in a discipline which could be called ?Jewish
Music?. Two of the top of my head which i don?t
believe were mentioned are Gratz College in
Philadelphia and Hebrew College in the Boston area.
Other programs have been mentioned in this forum. But
bear this in mind: if one is searching for a program
which offers any certificate of completion as way of
seeking personal achievement, then kol hakavod.
However, if someone (and i believe this is more the
rule than the exception, but please correct me if i?m
wrong) is seeking a certification as a means to an end
(i.e. better job, etc.), then we have to examine what
roles such jewish musical functionaries serve in the
synagogue:

organist/pianist/musical accompanist
songleader/shaliakh tzibbur
cantor/hazzan
any combination of the above

the fact of the matter is that anyone who is doing
this for pure altruistic reasons and for their jewish
soul alone--again, i say ?kol hakavod,? and you should
pursue your education to your greatest ability with
your means. If, however, this is a vocation as well as
avocation, i would gently suggest that if one is to
call themselves in a professional capacity a ?shaliakh
tzibbur/liturgical leader/etc.? that it should have
some weight to it not just in experience but in
training. again, i say this from my passion for jewish
music and for my professional calling, not from any
malicious place or from any elitist position. I
understand the realities of people?s life situations
and certain congregations? limitations.

Someone used the word ?legitimize? with regard to what
they do in the synagogue. Is what they do legitimate
or not? Well, i believe ultimately it is the synagogue
itself which legitimizes the individual. I believe it
was someone else on the listserv who suggested that
since a shaliakh tzibbur is literally a ?messenger
from the congregation,? it is ultimately the
congregation itself which empowers an individual (or
individuals) to serve in that capacity, and although
one may be ?legitimate? in the eyes of an institution,
it is the congregation which makes the individual
?legitimate? in their capacity within their
institution.

I have saved the most sensitive issue for last:
#1--the issue of who/what is a cantor and how to
become one. First there must be a clear understanding
of what i?m talking about so there is no
misconception:
What I will describe (and have done so previously) is
what the cantorate HAS BECOME in the Reform movement
(and to a lesser extent, but is also happening in the
Conservative movement).

Everyone should understand that while there are people
on this listserv from every jewish denomination (i
believe), it originated from Gerry Kaye and his camp,
affiliated with the UAHC, the Reform movement?s
congregational organization.

And so, as a Cantor serving the UAHC and its
congregations, I am talking about the Reform movement
here. It should be stated that there is a close-knit
relationship between the UAHC, HUC-JIR, and the CCAR,
as originally established by Isaac Mayer Wise (pardon
my spelling if i?m off a bit!). So when the point was
brought up regarding other institutions offering
degrees in rabbinics, cantorial studies, etc., it
should be noted that any graduate from any sort of
institution (like AJR, RRC, etc.), does not guarantee
placement as a Cantor at a UAHC congregation. neither
does being a graduate from HUC for that matter, but
what is very important to understand is that HUC, as
the UAHC?s institute for higher education, is
financially supported to a great degree through UAHC
member synagogue?s temple dues! And so, if a
congregation wishes to reap the benefits of being in
the UAHC, one of those benefits, by supporting the HUC
is having been a part of the training of their future
REFORM leadership. Although other institutions may
have faculty who affiliate Reform, brought up Reform,
or were educated Reform, it is HUC?s duty not only to
train jewish professionals (i know--not romantic
sounding, but whatayagonna do?) to function in the
greater Jewish world, but very specifically in the
Reform Jewish world. And that world can be rather
specific at times. This is not intended to be a
?lock,? as Adrian had stated, but rather to preserve
the true intentions of our Reform forebears, and to
ensure the strength of the Reform future as a
philosophy, religion, and practice.

So if you skipped that last paragraph, you didn?t miss
much. But another point which is extremely important
to understand, and I tried to make this point before,
is that the role and ?job? of the cantor in the
synagogue is no longer solely ?singer/music
director/liturgist,? nor is it solely ?bar/bat mitzvah
tutor/administrator, co-officiant at lifecycles, etc.?
Please check out (and you?ll have to wait for this
one) the november issue of Reform Judaism magazine for
many more details (it?s an article on the very subject
of how the profession has changed).

In a now 5 year graduate level program for cantors at
the HUC (and JTS also has a 5 year program... although
something tells me it?s 6, but i digress), there now
exists a curriculum which spans the vast liturgical
musical repetoire of the Jewish people, but also
classes in education/curriculum, councelling, talmud
torah, professional development... the career and
calling of the cantorate has grown and is presently a
very far cry from 50 years ago. Adrian writes, ?Yes,
the role of the rabbi and cantor has changed. Yet I
wonder how much of that has been the tail wagging the
dog?? I can only tell you from personal experience
that even over the last 10 years, the demands placed
on all clergy has changed greatly. Again, await the
forthcoming article in RJ magazine in November for
clearer illustrations. 

Someone made the arguement of those cantorial
colleagues who are retired or almost retired who did
not go through such a rigorous training being still
deserving of being called ?cantor?. I?ll only make the
following analogy: There are dentists out there who
studied dentistry 50 years ago. Would you rather see
that dentist, or one who had been trained more
recently in the latest techniques and with standards
that might be higher today? I?ve done both! I have a
great respect and admiration for my more senior
colleagues. But they will be the first to admit to me
that they are envious of the level of education the
HUC now provides, and regret not receiving it
themselves. They see the younger generation of cantor
as being much better equipped for the needs of the
21st century synagogue than themselves.

The same individual also opined, ?...they [HUC] too
often seem to accept candidates less gifted in one of
the primary halachic requirements to be Sh'liach
Tzibbur -- a pleasing voice.?

I do not know from where this individual gets his/her
information, but this individual is just not informed.
This past year, now being back in the NYC area, I have
had the pleasure of visiting the college institute on
a regular basis, and let me assure you--the quality of
voice present at the college is nothing less than
professional or on the way of becoming so. 

And now, we come to the ?etzem ha-inyan,? (heart of
the matter): a process by which if one should chose to
do so, to become a hazzan/cantor. and let us be
extremely clear about this. You can call yourself what
you wish. It?s only the validation which will help you
become employed by certain congregations. And so,
there are many institutions out there that people can
attend/study at and at the end earn a degree or
certificate as ?Rabbi? or ?Cantor?. but unless these
individuals affiliate with professional organizations
such as the CCAR or the ACC, they will, by and large,
not be employed by Reform congregations. Why? Because
the CCAR is an arm of the CCAR-HUC-UAHC body, and the
ACC is an ancillary union of the UAHC. There is a
direct relationship between our professional
organizations so that congregations and those serving
them are more or less on the same page. 

So the basic concern people have in regards to
becoming a cantor is not from where they get the
education per se, but in becoming a member of the ACC.


There is a cantorial certification process (as was
made mention here previously) which allows for
individuals to become a member of the ACC. But the ACC
does not bestow the title ?Cantor? nor ?invests?
anyone. Only the college institute can do that. This
is why the process is done in conjunction with the
HUC. That?s important to know and understand, because
the program has to parallel (as much as it can) the
program at the college. I hope someone on this list
who has already gone (or is going through) the process
will speak about it. But this process is demanding and
it is also time limited. You can?t be in the program
forever. AND I should mention it does have a cost
associated with it.

As Adrian and others have suggested, there should be
yet other ways to the end of becoming a ?cantor,? and
certainly there are, but that doesn?t guarantee
membership into the cantorial union. btw, Adrian
called both the CCAR and the ACC ?guilds.? They are
not guilds but employee unions designed not to be
elitist, but to uphold the high level of standard for
their respective occupations/callings and to protect
their best interests--but ideally those interests are
also the best for congregations who should only demand
the best of their clergy teams. 

I?ve waxed on too long here, and don?t want to make
more waves than I already have. What I CAN bring to
the ACC board is the desire for more Jewish music
education for the masses--but the new UAHC/ACC adult
music education inititive, ?D?var Shir? really deals
with this on a congregational level, and there are
still programs run jointly with the UAHC/ACC/GTM.

I thank you, everyone, for your candor, patience, and
your passion for Judaism!

erik



=====
Cantor Erik L. F. Contzius
New Rochelle, New York

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