Some years ago I sang as the tenor lay cantor in a Reform Jewish temple. My then voice teacher was the choir director, and there were five voices which made up the lay cantors. He loved the different voices.
The tenor, soprano, bass, baritone and mezzo soprano added a richness that one voice alone couldn’t.
I always looked forward to the time of the Jewish High Holy days. Selichos, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur were awesome! It gave me a chance to sing my heart out for G-d.
I sang “sh’ma yisroel…” many times throughout the year, but the Holy days were different. It was like I sang it for the first time! It was the same singing the “borchu” and other chants. I was on a Jewish spiritual high.
Then there were those times I’d sing a duet or a trio, or even a quartet. I loved to sing, and I knew that one day I wanted to be an ordained cantor. That never happened, but I loved to sing when I did.
