Hazzan

A hazzan or chazzan (Hebrew for "cantor") is a Jewish musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the synagogue in songful prayer.

Cantors as a profession

The role of hazzans as a respected full-time profession has become a reality in recent centuries. In the last two centuries Jews in a number of European communities, notably Germany and England, came to view professionally trained hazzans as clergy. After the enlightenment, when European nations gave full citizenship and civil rights to Jews, professionally trained hazzans were accepted by the secular government as clergy in the same way that accepted rabbis as clergy.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In an interesting turn of events, the United States government recognized cantors as the first Jewish clergy, even before rabbis were recognized.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the USA there are three major schools for professionally training hazzans, one from each of the major Jewish denominations.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• American Conference of Cantors - Reform Judaism http://rj.org/acc/
• Cantors Assembly - Conservative Judaism http://www.cantors.org/
• Cantorial Council of America - Orthodox Judaism http://www.yu.edu/belz/

The curriculum for students in these programs generally include, but are not limited to:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Learning a nusach (liturgical tradition.)
• Learning the laws and traditions pertaining to Jewish prayer servi
• The history and content of the siddur
• Music theory, sight-reading sheet music
• Learning an instrument, usually a piano or guitar.
• Singing technique
• Cantillation - tropes for the liturgical chanting of biblical books
• Choral