Hazzan Lance H Tapper, Hon DMus

HAZZAN LANCE H. TAPPER, HON DMUS

Hazzan Lance H. Tapper was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA.  He received his early music, Jewish, and secular training in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles.  He is a graduate of UCLA with degrees and advanced coursework in History, Art, Literature, Music, and Education.  He studied the Cantorial art with Hazzan Carl Urstein z”l of Sinai Temple, Los Angeles.  He studied voice with Hazzan Nathan Lam and Dan Balestrero of the San Francisco Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Hazzan Tapper currently serves as Spiritual Leader and Hazzan of Beth Shalom of Whittier.  Prior to accepting the position at Beth Shalom, Hazzan Tapper served congregations in Fresno, San Jacinto, Bermuda Dunes, Downey, Simi Valley, and Tujunga, CA, in some cases both as Spiritual Leader and Hazzan.

Hazzan Tapper was elected to membership in the Cantors Assembly in 1987 and has served many posts within the organization.   On a regional level he served the Cantors Assembly Western Region as Secretary, Vice-Chair, Chair, and Executive Vice-Chair.  On a national level, he has served three times on the national Executive Council.  He currently serves as a ranking member of the national Membership committee.  He also serves as the co-chair of the national Convention Management Committee.

Hazzan Tapper has performed in and produced several major programs and concerts for his and other congregations, the Cantors Assembly, and the San Gabriel Valley and Orange County Jewish Federations.  He has been invited over time to lecture on Jewish Musicological issues for Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, CA and the Pasadena Jewish Temple in Pasadena, CA among others.  His areas of focus include the synagogue choral tradition, the organ in Jewish worship, the German synagogue traditions, Louis Lewandowski, Solomone Rossi, the Italian Jewish Rite, and Ancient Mesopotamian religion and culture.  He is well known for his ability to teach Judaism and history through a lens of music and culture.

Hazzan Tapper was honored by the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 2022 when they conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Music, honoris causa (Hon DMus) for his many years of service as a Hazzan in the Jewish community.