About
Cantor Azi Schwartz is the Senior Cantor of Park Avenue Synagogue in New York, as well as a world-renowned vocal performer and recording artist whose music reaches Jewish and interfaith audiences internationally. Azi’s ministry has cultivated a growing online following with over 25 million views. His craft of Jewish liturgical music has been described as emotionally moving, spiritually uplifting, and artistically dynamic.
Growing up in Israel, Azi was inspired by his grandfather, also a cantor, to pursue his passion for singing and music. After graduating from Tel Aviv Cantorial Institute, Azi continued studying music with a masters in Classical Singing and Conducting from Mannes School of Music.
This journey brought Azi to New York, where he built a global hub for worship and original liturgical music at Park Avenue Synagogue (PAS). As a senior leader of PAS, Azi has helped transform this flagship Conservative congregation into a model for innovative Judaism, while seeking to shape Jewish practice for the 21st Century.
Passionate about bringing Jewish liturgy to the broader world, Azi performs in concerts internationally and has released over 18 albums containing traditional and new Jewish liturgical music. Azi has performed at Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, Madison Square Garden, the US Capitol Rotunda, and the Israeli Knesset. Azi was featured in a PBS special entitled, The New York Cantors, which brought cantorial music to millions of viewers across the US and in Europe. During Pope Francis’ visit to New York, Cantor Schwartz represented the Jewish people at the multi-religious service at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. He plays the cantor’s role in Richard Gere’s movie Norman. Recently, Azi helped to produce Shabbat on Broadway at the St. James Theatre, the first Jewish worship service on Broadway.
Dedicated to cultivating the next generation of cantors, Azi has served on faculty of all major cantorial schools, and as an officer for the Cantors’ Assembly. Azi is married to Dr. Noa Schwartz, and they have four children.
