Cantor qualifications/requirements

[agp2176]

Don’t get me started on music directors!

I am a cantor in my parish, and IMHO the OP’s music director needs to go stick his head in a bucket of water. What is the next demand going to be, that only people in the congregation who have voice training can sing along too.

As cantor my job is not to entertain or serve as a focal point. Rather, I am there to sing with the people, the young and the old, those who have great voices and those with not so great voices in praising the Lord in song. As I have no music director, and if one were appointed, I’d surely resign, I make certain to choose hymns and Mass settings well within the range of the congregation.

This is, again IMHO, one of the big problems that I have seen in many parishes, that many music directors make the Mass into a Broadway musical and the people sit there looking like they do when a commercial comes on TV.

I will admit that I hit my share of bum notes. But what it all come down to is summed up in the words of Florence Foster Jenkins, to quote the wikipedia “an American soprano who became famous for her complete lack of rhythm, pitch, tone, and overall singing ability.” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Foster_Jenkins) – There are those who say I cannot sing, but no one can say I didn’t sing!"

God bless

Tony

 

[Cbensk]

If a cantor is paid, they should come to the position already prepared or they should not be hired. Most paid cantors do not make enough in one Mass to cover 1 lesson. If the church would like to gift that to them to enhance their program (thereby bringing in more $$ due to better liturgy) so be it.

If cantors are unpaid, the director should decide whether the cantor is qualified or not. Desire alone does not a good cantor make. If the potential cantor desires to work toward the goal, the director should make a decison on whether they can work with them on the side to prepare them to enter the ministry or whether outside coaching is needed. If outside coaching is needed and there are alreday ample cantors in position, the lessons should be at the cantors expense. If the church is in need of cantors and there is reason to believe this candidate has true potential, the church could offer to defray the cost.

IMHO.