H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music

H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music offers a five-year course of study that fosters spiritual growth while leading to cantorial investiture. As a member of the clergy, the cantor leads the community in prayer, teaches the texts of the liturgy, and shares pastoral duties with the rabbi. Cantors are authorities on Jewish music for the Jewish and general community.

The opportunities for a spiritually rewarding life are immense and positions for graduate cantors are available all over North America. H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music are two schools devoted to Jewish musical studies; they train selected advanced students as hazzanim for congregational service or to be teachers of Jewish music, choral directors, composers, or scholars. H. L. Miller Cantorial School awards the diploma of hazzan and the College of Jewish Music awards the bachelor and master of sacred music degrees. Students preparing for the cantorate are enrolled in both schools and are expected to complete the diploma program and the master of sacred music degree simultaneously, preferably within a five-year period. Students may also prepare for a MA in Jewish Education in William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education or an MA in The Graduate School while pursuing their cantorial studies. (See below for additional information.)

It should be noted that the curriculum of H. L. Miller Cantorial School and the degree programs of the College of Jewish Music require full-time attendance. Part-time and non-matriculated students may be accepted for admission under special circumstances and by permission of the dean.

Faculty 

Professor
Charles Davidson

Associate Professor
Boaz Tarsi

Assistant Professors
Neil Levin
Henry Rosenblum, dean 

Adjunct Assistant Professors
Audrey Axinn
Gerald Cohen
Edwin Seroussi
Judith Tischler

Adjunct Instructors
Joel Caplan
Perry Fine
Marlene Fuerstman
Ada Hyman
Jacob Mendelson
JoAnn Rice

Adjunct Lecturer
Joyce Rosenzweig

Admissions Information

The dean welcomes any person considering cantorial school to come for a preliminary discussion. There are many issues to consider, and early advice could be of great benefit to an applicant.

Candidates must be Jewish according to halakhah and are expected to be living according to Jewish tradition. The mitzvot should guide the lives of all cantorial school candidates. These mitzvot include, but are not limited to: traditional observance of Shabbat and festivals, regular daily prayer with tallit and tefillin, observance of dietary laws, active participation in talmud Torah, and acts of gemilut hasadim. Women candidates are required to accept equality of obligation for the mitzvot from which women have been traditionally exempted, including tallit, tefillin, and tefilah.

While Conservative Judaism recognizes the validity of pluralism in religious expression within the boundaries delineated by the Movement, the dean and faculty reserve the right to determine the degree of observance required of candidates and students. It is recognized that applicants may be in the course of deepening their Jewish commitments. Personal religious guidance is available for students from the dean or an adviser at any time.

An undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university must be earned before the anticipated date of registration in H. L. Miller Cantorial School. Applicants preparing for the cantorate must have a professional-quality singing voice, or a voice that shows clear indication of acquiring this quality in a few years. The candidate should have a knowledge of the rudiments of music, as well as some ear training, sight-singing skill and, preferably, some instrumental background.

The faculty may consider the admission of unusually gifted students who have not completed a BA or BS degree to become candidates for the diploma of hazzan and the bachelor of sacred music.

The admissions committee meets twice yearly, in December and February. Entrance examinations include an audition, an individual interview, and tests aimed at determining music aptitude and levels of Hebraic and general music knowledge. Candidates for admission are requested to prepare two musical selections, including one prayer setting from the Jewish liturgy to be chanted a cappella. A secular piece should be prepared for performance with piano accompaniment.

An applicant who, in the opinion of the faculty, does not meet all of the educational requirements, but is otherwise qualified may be accepted conditionally. The conditional status will be removed when the student has reached a satisfactory level of knowledge in the area of the deficiency.

The candidacy of all students in the cantorial program will be reviewed during the students' second semester of residence in New York. The faculty, in conjunction with the dean, will review the progress each student has made to date and assess the student's potential to complete the degree successfully. If the faculty and the dean are not satisfied with either the student's progress or potential, they may exercise their prerogative of terminating the student's participation in the program.

All admissions inquiries and requests for applications should be addressed to the dean, H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music, 3080 Broadway, New York, New York 10027-4649, (212) 678-8037, cantorial@jtsa.edu.

The material necessary for application must be submitted by November 15 for December auditions and by January 15 for February auditions. Submissions should include:

• A completed application form together with the $50 fee
• Official transcripts of all post-secondary studies

Applicants whose native language is not English may be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Course of Study

Year One

The first year of the cantorial investiture program and the academic degree program is generally spent in Israel at a program especially designed for cantorial students. It includes an introduction to Jewish philosophy; intensive Hebrew language study; selected chapters of rabbinic texts and Jewish law codes; a survey of the Tanakh; an introduction to the chant of the weekday prayer service and to the cantillation of the Pentateuch and Haftarot; and courses on ancient and modern Israel. Students are expected to continue their voice training privately with voice teachers in Israel and are responsible for the costs involved over and above the costs of the program itself. Financial aid for the year in Israel is awarded on the same basis as for the training in New York.

Continuation of cantorial studies on the second-year level presupposes the successful completion of the first-year curriculum with at least a B average. It is also necessary to have the recommendation of the faculty committee that assesses the academic and musical progress of beginning students.

Year Two and Beyond

Students who successfully complete the first-year curriculum will continue studying in three main areas: general music, Jewish music and Judaica text study.

Required courses in general music include ear training, music theory and harmony, choral conducting, choral singing, and piano. Students may be exempted from some of these courses on the basis of a proficiency examination and the permission of the instructor.

Students must continue studies in voice on a private basis and are solely responsible for the costs involved. To assist students in judging their vocal progress, the faculty will periodically sit as a vocal board. Students will be notified early in the term regarding dates and preparation for vocal board sessions.

The results of a Hebrew language placement examination taken at the end of the Israel year determine the courses a student will need to complete the Hebrew language requirement. Students are expected to place into HEB 2201 or higher upon their return from Israel. If necessary, a student will be required to attend a JTS summer session prior to year two to meet this requirement. After completion of HEB 5203, two semesters of liturgical Hebrew are required for all students, as well as a course in Hebrew grammar.

Following a fourth-year seminar with the dean, fifth-year cantorial students will join their fellow senior rabbinical students in a year-long colloquium as part of their professional skills training.

Four one-year courses in nusah are required. These courses are team taught and consist of theory, practicum, and individual coaching sessions. Each year, students will participate in nusah presentations, representative of their work in a simulated synagogue atmosphere. The nusah faculty and the dean will evaluate performances and counsel the students. The Guidelines to Nusah Presentation are available in the dean's office.

Students studying at H. L. Miller Cantorial School must complete thirty-two credits of class work, including master's essay supervision at the College of Jewish Music. A thesis adviser will be chosen by each student in the fourth year of study. Three typed copies of the essay are to be filed in the office of the dean no later than mid-April of the final year.

Required Course Distribution

Year One (in Israel)
FALL
Bible
Hebrew
Theory and Musicianship
Halakhah
Nusah and Cantillation
Ethnomusicology
Jewish Philosophy
Introduction to Liturgy

SPRING
Hebrew
Bible
Halakhah
Nusah and Cantillation
Ethnomusicology
Introduction to Liturgy

Year Two
FALL

SPRING

Year Three
FALL

SPRING

Year Four
FALL

SPRING

Year Five
FALL

SPRING

Coaching
Students are assigned a weekly coaching lesson (HAZ 4400) beginning with their second year of studies.

Chorus
Students must register for at least six semesters of chorus (MUS 4110-4117).

Piano Workshop
Students must register for Piano Workshop (MUS 4300-4307), unless they are exempted from the course by the instructor.

Jewish Education Requirements
Students must register for at least two of the following three offerings:

• EDU 5031: Skills for Teaching
• EDU 5525: Translating Jewish Theology for an Educational Setting
• EDU 5055: Teaching Prayer

Electives
Electives may be chosen from any of the Graduate School offerings, including:

• Bible
• Rabbinic texts
• Jewish history
• Jewish philosophy
• Pastoral Care

Students must complete six elective courses. The particular courses will be selected through consultation with the dean. These courses are usually taken during the fourth and fifth years.

Cantorial Studies and Jewish Education

Students may also earn a MA degree in Jewish Education while pursuing their cantorial studies. In addition to the courses required for the diploma of hazzan, students must take twelve credits of graduate courses in Judaica at the 5000 level or above as well as twenty-five credits in education. Students interested in this program are encouraged to meet with the deans of H. L. Miller Cantorial School and William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education as early as possible to determine the necessary course of study. A determination will also be made as to the particular courses in the College of Jewish Music that may be transferable to the degree in Jewish education.

Joint Graduate School MA / Cantorial Investiture Program

For details, please see the Special MA Programs in The Graduate School section.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements include the successful completion of required courses, comprehensive examinations, and recitals in sacred and general music. Candidates for the academic degree and the diploma of hazzan are expected to complete all course work and examinations within five years. An extension of one year may be granted upon written application to the dean.

Investiture

Investiture as hazzan will be conferred by the chancellor, on recommendation of the dean, and is dependent upon completion of all academic and other requirements. Investiture will not be recommended if a grade of INC remains on the student's record in a required course. Investiture takes place in May of each year at JTS's commencement exercises. All students to be invested in any one year are expected to be present at all commencement day ceremonies.

College of Jewish Music

Admission Requirements and Procedures

Men and women who are college graduates and possess a general Jewish background, including knowledge of Hebrew, Bible, Jewish history, the prayerbook, and customs of the synagogue, but who are not interested in the diploma of hazzan, may, nevertheless, apply for admission to the degree programs of the College of Jewish Music. Admission is determined by the admissions committee on the basis of entrance examinations and personal interviews held at JTS in December and again in spring. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

All inquiries regarding admission should be addressed to the dean, H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music, 3080 Broadway, New York, New York 10027-4649, (212) 678-8037, cantorial@jtsa.edu.

Bachelor of Sacred Music

In principle, the program at the College of Jewish Music is designed to meet the needs of candidates for the cantor's diploma and master of sacred music who have already acquired a bachelor's degree. Undergraduate students are strongly advised to pursue the List College Jewish music major described below. Nevertheless, the faculty will consider the admission of unusually gifted students who have not completed a BA or BS degree. They may become candidates for the diploma of hazzan and the bachelor of sacred music. The students are expected to complete the prescribed curriculum of H. L. Miller Cantorial School, but without the master's program requirements. Comprehensive examination and recitals, if appropriate to the field of specialization, are required for graduation.

List College Jewish Music Major

Qualified List College students may elect to major in Jewish music on either a pre-cantorial or a non-cantorial track, taking the requisite courses at H. L. Miller Cantorial School. Acceptance into this major field requires the permission of the dean of the College of Jewish Music. A graduate of List College who has completed the necessary courses toward the music major, and is accepted for study at H. L. Miller Cantorial School, may receive advanced standing for studies toward a cantor's diploma. Additional information may be obtained at the Office of the College of Jewish Music.

Master of Sacred Music

The College of Jewish Music offers the master of sacred music degree in Jewish music. Normally this degree is offered in conjunction with the diploma of hazzan. Candidates who wish to acquire a master of sacred music degree without a diploma of hazzan will be considered by the faculty only in special cases, and an admissions interview for this arrangement is not unconditionally guaranteed. Candidates for this degree must demonstrate knowledge of the Hebrew language as well as competence in general and Jewish music. A minimum of thirty-two credits of graduate work in the College of Jewish Music and the submission of a satisfactory essay, prepared under faculty supervision, in either nusah, musicology, music theory or the history of Jewish music, are also required. Candidates must demonstrate a mastery of Hebrew and may be required to demonstrate a reading knowledge of one or two European languages. They must pass oral and written comprehensive examinations in their major and related fields of study. Recitals appropriate to the field of specialization may also be required.

Academic Standards

Attendance
Regular class attendance is required. Instructors shall have the right to stipulate attendance requirements, and to indicate the penalties that may result from failure to comply with these requirements, within the first two weeks of the semester.

Grades
Letter grades indicate the following: A, excellent; B, good; C, fair; D, poor; F, failure; and R, auditor.

A letter grade is assigned for each course unless it is indicated at registration that a course will be graded only on a Pass-D-Fail basis, or a request for Pass-D-Fail grading is submitted, in accordance with the procedure outlined below.

Students may register for Pass-D-Fail grades for elective courses, not including Hebrew language courses, with a maximum of one course per semester.

Students electing to take courses on a Pass-D-Fail basis must indicate their preference at registration or on the appropriate form, which must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar no later than two weeks after the first day of classes, the exact date to be indicated on the academic calendar. After this date, students may not alter the basis under which they have registered for their courses that semester.

Instructors will not be informed which students have elected to take their courses on a Pass-D-Fail basis. At the end of the semester, the instructor will submit letter grades for each student. The Registrar will then transcribe letter grades for students who requested a Pass-D-Fail option as follows:

• The grade of P will be assigned for students who have earned a letter grade of C– or higher
• The grades of D and F will be so transcribed

Once the grade of P has been recorded, the instructor's letter grade will not be available to any individual, committee or institution under any circumstances.

The grade of R will indicate that a student has registered for the course as an auditor and agreed to do all coursework except a written paper and/or final examination. Such a course will neither yield academic credits nor meet departmental requirements in the H. L. Miller Cantorial School.

Once a grade has been received in the Registrar's Office, it may be changed by the course instructor only upon written application by the instructor to the dean. The dean's approval is required.

Academic Probation
Letter grades will be assigned for each course. No credit will be given for the grades of D or F, and any student who receives one grade of D or F, or two grades of C, in any one semester will be placed on academic probation. Students are not permitted to request the grade of Incomplete (INC) during the semester of their probation. A student on academic probation will be required to take all measures necessary in order to be restored to good standing. A student who is on academic probation for more than one semester may be dismissed from the school. Students placed on academic probation can receive financial assistance for only the first semester of their probation.

Incompletes
A student who, for compelling reasons, finds it necessary to postpone the submission of required coursework may petition for the grade of Incomplete (INC). The student must obtain a Request for Incomplete form. This form must contain all information requested, including a description of the work to be completed and the due date, which cannot be later than the date specified in the academic calendar. The form must be signed by the student, instructor and dean. The form should be returned to the Registrar's Office. The last day to request an Incomplete and submit the form is indicated in the academic calendar.

All outstanding course work must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar no later than the date specified in the academic calendar. Generally, this date is six weeks from the end of the final examination period.

The Registrar shall record that the work has been submitted and provide a written receipt to the student for the work received. The Registrar will transmit the completed work to the instructor. No work should be sent or given directly to the instructor by the student. The student is advised to retain a copy of all work submitted to the Registrar's Office.

The grade of INC shall remain on the student's transcript until a grade has been submitted by the instructor.

If a student fails to submit the outstanding work to the Registrar's Office by the specified due date, the grade of INC will be converted to the alternate letter grade that was previously submitted by the instructor. This alternate grade reflects the instructor's assessment of a student's performance, taking into account the fact that work is missing. Students should be aware that the missing work may have been counted as an F (or 0) in the computation of the final grade for the course.

In special circumstances, the dean has the authority to grant an extension for the submission of overdue work as long as it is agreeable to the instructor. This extension must be sent in writing by the dean to the Registrar's Office.

Students may not request an INC for any course during the semester of their graduation.

Absence from Final Examinations
A student who, because of illness or personal emergency, cannot be present for a scheduled final examination, must inform the instructor as soon as possible to indicate the reasons for the absence. The student must arrange with the instructor for a make-up examination if the student still cannot be present for the regularly scheduled make-up examination day.

Students may not request Incompletes in advance for an in-class final examination. The student must take the make-up examination as soon as possible, and no later than the date indicated in the academic calendar governing the completion of outstanding work.

Academic Calendar
Please refer to the calendar for H. L. Miller Cantorial School and College of Jewish Music, which is not identical to the general JTS calendar. It is available in the H. L. Miller Cantorial School Office.

Placement

The placement of students in part-time positions as hazzanim is handled by the Cantors Assembly placement service.

All students receive a copy of the code of procedures for placement and are expected to observe the rules and regulations as befits the dignity of a sacred calling. For further information, students should consult the dean.

The Sabin Family Music Library

The Library of The Jewish Theological Seminary has a steadily growing music collection, which is housed in the Sabin Family Music Library. It contains manuscripts and printed materials as well as recordings of cantorial and general music of interest to music students. The Sabin Library offers opportunities for serious research as well as listening pleasure. The excellent audio equipment, complete with earphones for private listening, is augmented by a library atmosphere conducive to the appreciation of the rare material as well as the more current discs and tapes. Hours are posted in the Sabin Library.