A devoted chazzan with many years of international performance experience, Cantor Vladimir Staerman's rich tenor voice delivers hours of sacred temple music, most notably characterized by an unwavering energy and a profound emphasis on life. Congregation members where Staerman has performed often take note of the devotion and great feeling with which the cantor is able to convey the essence and emotion of ancient Jewish songs to his audience.

Awarded a cantorial diploma from The Jerusalem School of Cantorial Art and Music, Staerman was fortunate to study under acclaimed cantor and music director Chazzan David Weintraub. The founder and director of JESCAM, Weintraub previously founded the Cantorial School at the Herzlia Jewish Teacher's College in New York.

More recently Cantor Staerman was interviewed for a segment of "Open Studio", a program on Israel's Russian television station "Channel 9" that spotlights a variety of topics ranging from politics to show business. Featured in an April 2007 episode dedicated to traditional Jewish professions, Cantor Staerman performed for an audience of thousands of viewers and participated in an ensuing discussion where he emphasized that while many of the songs in his repertoire are based on the same tropes employed in ancient times, it is up to the Sholeach Tzibur, the messenger of the community, to inhale soul into the sacred songs in order to make them come alive for today's audience.

Originally trained as an engineer at Tbilisi Polytechnic University in Tbilisi, Georgia, Staerman received a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1982. However, it would not be long until Vladimir would alter his life's path and follow his musical calling, enrolling at the Tbilisi Conservatory of Music where he studied from 1985 to 1989. Now an accomplished cantor with over ten years of professional music experience, Staerman's career began at the Tbilisi Opera Studio in Tbilisi, Georgia. A soloist at the Opera Studio from 1989 to 1991, he would also spend the following two years singing professionally as a soloist in the Moscow Synagogue Male Choir.

Embarking on the Moscow Synagogue European Concert Tour in 1992, Vladimir gained a wealth of international experience performing in venues across Germany, Norway, Denmark and Poland. In 1993, he moved to San Diego, California seeking to expand his performance repertoire even further. There he sang understudy for the main character in a 1994 San Diego Opera production of Eugene Onegin.

As his passion for the rich heritage of temple singing continued to grow, Staerman became Cantor of Temple Isaiah in Newport Beach, California where he would spend the following three years. From 1999 to 2003 he also served as Associate Cantor of Temple Adat Shalom in San Diego. Among other professional achievements Staerman received the San Diego Choral Club Certificate in 1996 and was invited along with the Moscow Synagogue Male Choir to participate in the 16 th annual World Assembly of Music in Zimria, Jerusalem in 1992. Cantor Vladimir Staerman has also given a number of solo concerts in Jerusalem including in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Click Here to view Vladimir's Resume.