Cantor Daniel A. Singer serves Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in Manhattan, where he has built a reputation as one of America’s most renowned Reform cantors. In addition to performing with the world’s leading cantors and popular Jewish artists, he developed a revolutionary new vision of worship and programming that helped to revitalize the historic Stephen Wise Free Synagogue.
Cantor Singer previously served the pulpits of Temple Shaaray Tefila in Manhattan, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah in Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights Synagogue, Temple Adas Israel of Sag Harbor, and Temple Beth El of Bloomfield Hills Michigan.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in music and mass communications from the University of Wisconsin-Superior, a master’s in vocal performance from the University of Michigan, a master’s in performing arts administration from NYU Steinhardt, and a master’s in sacred music and his cantorial ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music.
Originally from Superior, Wisconsin, Cantor Singer grew up immersed in the folk music scene and is as comfortable singing grand opera as he is singing Broadway, Yiddish theater, pop, jazz, folk, and a variety of styles of children’s music. An accomplished recording artist, multi-faceted guitarist, pianist and composer of new music for the synagogue and stage, he is also a voice actor with national credits for radio, television, and animated feature films.
He performs internationally and produces parodies and viral videos with the award-winning Jewish pop acapella group, Six13. He publishes articles regularly to his blog on Times of Israel and has been featured in PBS documentaries including “Sabbath” by Martin Doblmeier and “The Jewish Americans” by David Grubin.
Cantor Singer lives in Manhattan with his beautiful wife Lauren and his two adorable little boys, Aiden and Ariel. When he is not working, he enjoys reading, writing, RV road trips, camping, and relaxing with his family.
Recent Commentaries and Op-Eds
Duluth News Tribune: Superior’s crossroads also influenced Dylan’s music
Mar 28, 2024
Our Cantor Dan Singer wishes “that the ‘Like a Complete Unknown’ movie would shine a light on Superior and the Hammond family’s huge influence on Dylan’s meteoric rise to fame,” he writes in the Duluth News Tribune ahead of a concert he’s planning in his Wisconsin hometown.
CBS New York: Dressing up, eating sweets and giving back are all part of Purim celebration in New York City
Mar 6, 2023
From parodies of Billy Joel songs to musicals like “Mamma Mia,” for more than three decades the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue on West 68th Street has been telling the story of Purim through its annual “Purim Spiel.” Our Cantor Dan Singer, Rabbi Dalia Samansky and Purim spiel assistant director and costume coordinator Eileen Remor explain the holiday and our Stephen Wise Free Synaoguge’s spieling tradition.
Forward: Her great-grandfather led Israel. She’ll be leading a congregation
Jun 28, 2022
Inbal Sharett-Singer, who was mentored by her brother-in-law — our Cantor Dan Singer — and who has led services on our bimah here at Stephen Wise, will be taking over as the senior cantor at Temple Israel in Minneapolis.
Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle: From Superior to Manhattan – Wisconsin native’s journey to cantor at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue
Apr 14, 2022
Daniel Singer, a Wisconsin native, has been a cantor at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City, a historic place of worship, for 16 years. His journey has taken him from growing up without Jewish community to serving a synagogue in Manhattan.
TwinCities.com: A Minnesota connection to Ukraine: Bob Dylan’s paternal grandparents fled persecution in Russian Empire
Apr 3, 2022
Our Cantor Dan Singer spoke with TwinCities.com about his historical and genealogical research into Bob Dylan’s ancestry.
Times of Israel: Ancestry Unites a Symphony of Singers for Ukraine Crisis Relief
Mar 30, 2022
In his Times of Israel blog, our Cantor Dan Singer writes about how he discovered he is related to Manhattan Symphonie founder Gregory Singer, whom we’ve partnering with for a concert supporting Ukraine relief efforts.
Duluth News Tribune: Old library, Bob Dylan at crossroads of Superior history
Feb 3, 2022
In the Duluth News Tribune, our Cantor Dan Singer explores the ancestral crossroads of Bob Dylan, John Hammond and Highway 61 converging in his hometown of Superior, Wisconsin.
Times of Israel: It Ain’t Necessarily So: Guy Mintus Sings Gershwin
Nov 20, 2021
In his Times of Israel blog, our Cantor Dan Singer analyzes Israeli jazz musician Guy Minuts’s unique take on “It Ain’t Necessarily So” from “Porgy and Bess.”
Detroit Jewish News: My Superior (Wis.) Jewish Genealogy
Nov 2, 2021
Our Cantor Dan Singer follows up on his last article about his hometown hero, Jewish baseball player Morrie Arnovitch, with some exciting genealogical discoveries…
A World Series of Genealogical Discoveries
Oct 26, 2021
In Times of Israel, our Cantor Dan Singer follows up on last his article about his hometown hero, Jewish baseball player Morrie Arnovitch, with some exciting genealogical discoveries…
The Forward: Morrie Arnovich, not Jacob Steinmetz, was baseball’s first Orthodox player
Jul 26, 2021
When the media overlooked the first Orthodox Jewish baseball player, Morrie Arnovich, our Cantor Dan Singer set the record straight about one of his hometown heroes and shared some of Superior, Wisconsin’s rich history in an article he wrote for The Forward.
The Riverdale Press: Riverdale Temple cantor rediscovers herself in music
Oct 27, 2019
Our Cantor Daniel Singer’s sister-in-law, Inbal Sharrett-Singer, was profiled in The Riverdale Press ahead of “Cantor and Friends,” a concert they’ll be performing together along with other cantors this November 10.
Broadway World: Music Group Afro-Semitic Experience To Perform First Manhattan Selichot Service In Over A Decade
Sep 5, 2019
Acclaimed multicultural musical group The Afro-Semitic Experience will give its first Selichot performance in Manhattan in more than a decade on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue.
Broadway World: Stephen Wise To Host Mieczyslaw Weinberg Centennial Concert
Mar 15, 2019
Stephen Wise Free Synagogue will host a concert May 19 celebrating the centennial of prolific Polish-Jewish composer Mieczyslaw Weinberg. The program will feature Weinberg’s “24 Preludes for Solo Cello” performed by Yosif Feigelson, Modest Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” with pianist Ilya Yakushev, and several of Weinberg’s Yiddish songs performed by Stephen Wise Cantor Daniel Singer.
