What/Who is a Cantor?
A Cantor is someone who sings liturgical music and leads
prayer in a synagogue. A Cantor typically leads services in important Jewish
moments, such as the Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath), the Jewish Holidays
([particularly Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur) as well as in important Jewish life
cycle events such as Weddings or Bar Mitzvahs.
Tell us a little about yourself?
I was born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, where my father
is the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish community. I've lived all over the world, in
Jerusalem, Montreal, London, New York and finally, Miami. I have been leading
the Jewish High Holiday Services in Cali, Colombia since I'm a teenager. I also
lead services as a guest Cantor at many synagogues in North America. My passion
is singing at weddings, during the Jewish Wedding ceremony.
How are your weddings different than typical weddings?
Usually, a bride and groom hire musicians to play
instrumental music during the ceremony. My weddings stand out because the
bridal party and bride walk down the aisle to romantic songs that I serenade
them with in vivo. I sing, accompanied by my band which can range in size from
just piano and violin to a full orchestra! My weddings are separated into three
parts: 1) the processional 2) the bride's walk down the aisle and 3) the
chuppah/ceremony.
I sing important Jewish liturgy in Hebrew, but with a modern
twist. For example, my songs are set to the melodies of prominent romantic
songs sang by Boccelli, Groban and John Legend just to name a few. During the
processional, I sing 2-3 songs while the groom and bridesmaids walk down the
aisle. The highlight of the wedding is the Bride's walk down the aisle. In that
moment, all eyes are on the bride as I serenade her with my song "Boi Kala
(The Bride's Serenade)", which culminates with the emotion and intensity
of the groom greeting his bride and walking into the chuppah with her. During
the ceremony, I typically sing 2-4 short songs, culminating in the Seventh
Blessing of the Sheva Brachot.
Why should clients hire you?
Couple usually hire me because they love music and are
looking to connect with the spirituality, romance and timelessness of the
Jewish Wedding Ceremony. They also want to add extra "oomph" to their
ceremony and make it unforgettable, for themselves and their guests. Think of
all the special moments during the Jewish ceremony- when the groom sees the
bride for the first time, when the parents give the bride up, when the bride
walks around her groom 7 times, when the groom breaks the glass- all those
moments get magnified and heightened when they are accompanied with the right
song.
What excites you most about your position?
I love customizing the song list with the couple. I first
meet the bride and groom months before the wedding. I interview them and get to
know what makes their relationship "tick." From there, we work as a
team to pick the perfect songs for the aisle and ceremony. During the ceremony,
I love seeing the live reactions the bride, groom and guests have during the
songs. What makes me the most blessed guy in the business is that I get to
inspire couples during their most vulnerable, emotional, and important moment
of their life. That honor is something I never take for granted.
Tell us a little about the most memorable wedding you sang
in?
It's so hard to pick just one. Some weddings are memorable
because of the chemistry or background story of the couple; other weddings are
more dramatic because of location, decor, etc. A special moment that stands out
for me is getting to sing accompanied by the entire philharmonic orchestra in
Costa Rica! But the most unforgettable highlight of my career without a doubt
was serenading my beautiful wife as she walked down the aisle, there wasn't a
dry eye in the house. That was almost ten years ago and I still remember it
like it was yesterday.
What is the best compliment you ever received at a wedding?
I'm always appreciative of feedback I get from the bride, a
family member or a guest, One compliment that resonates was given to me by a
guest at my own wedding. He was in his sixties and told me after the ceremony
"I haven't cried in 20 years, until tonight." Words like that are
what fuel me to inspire people through song.
What is your biggest challenge?
Without a doubt the hardest part of my work is collecting
pictures or videos from the photographer/videographer post wedding. It's so
frustrating because I would love to have more footage of wedding I've performed
in. Unfortunately, photographer and videographers are very busy and it's hard
to get material from them- even for pay!
How do potential clients find you?
Potential clients can email me at david@cantordavid.com. You
can like me on Facebook at Cantor David Goldschmidt, and on Instagram at
cantordavidg.com
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