Cantor

This article is about leaders of singing and/or prayer. For other uses, see Cantor (disambiguation).

A cantor in general is a person who leads people in singing, or sometimes in prayer. In formal Christian worship, a cantor is a person who sings solo verses or passages to which the choir or congregation responds. In Judaism, a cantor is one who sings and leads people in prayer in a Jewish religious service, and may be called hazzan. "Cantor" is used as a translation of equivalent terms in other languages, such as for the leader of singing on a traditional Kerala snake boat, a Chundan Vallam .

A similar term is precentor, defined as a leader of the singing of a choir or congregation.

More specific types of cantor include:

• Cantor (Christianity), an ecclesiastical officer leading liturgical music in several branches of the Christian church
  • Domestikos, leader of the right choir (Orthodox Church)
  • Lampadarios, leader of the left choir (Orthodox Church)
  • Precentor
  • Succentor
• Hazzan, cantor in a Jewish synagogue
  • Cantors Assembly
  • Cantor in Reform Judaism
  • Syrian Cantors