Posts by Samuel Herron
The Dynamis Byzantine Ensemble – A New Recording Showcasing the Best of Byzantine Chant in English
Byzantine chant is an ever-evolving art form, responding to the advances put forth in both music and hymnography by the great personalities who have shaped it, such as Saint Romanos the Melodist, Saint John of Damascus, Saint John Koukouzelis, and Peter the Peloponnesian. However, all the men mentioned above were active within a wider movement…
Continue reading »An Interview with Constantine Stade of New Creation Bellringing
Constantine Stade is an expert in bellringing in the Russian Tradition. In 2018, he founded New Creation Bellringing, a consultation service that assists American churches in setting up bells and properly ringing them. A. Gould: How did you become interested in the art of Russian bell ringing? C. Stade: The sound of Orthodox church bells…
Continue reading »Church Architecture Doesn’t have to have the Same Objectives as Secular Architecture; An Interview with the Director of the Moscow Architectural Institute, Dimitry Shvidkovsky
Editor’s note: This article is reposted from orthochristian.com. It describes the current process by which church architects are trained in Russia, and the prevailing attitudes towards style, tradition, and innovation, in this field. A fascinating read for anyone interested in the contemporary rebirth of Russian church architecture. – A. Gould Since 2016, the leading Russian…
Continue reading »A Surpassing Gentleness: An Interview with Iconographer Ann Margitich
It is my pleasure today to present the work of Matushka Ann Margitich, iconographer based in Santa Rosa, CA. Her work has a special place in my heart, my favorite among the many icon painters I am privileged to know. She paints the most kindly and gentle figures, with a delicate beauty of color and…
Continue reading »An American Shrine to Honor the Russian Royal Martyrs
It has been my particular honor to create a magnificent shrine and reliquary for the Russian Royal Martyrs. The shrine was commissioned by an American convert to Orthodoxy as a gift to the Hermitage of the Holy Cross, a Russian Orthodox monastery in West Virginia, USA. It was installed in time to commemorate the centenary…
Continue reading »Bold New Colors for Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco
Editor’s note: During 2015 and 2016, Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco embarked on a restoration and beautification project. Andrew Gould was hired to develop a new color scheme for the exterior, which had always been painted plain white. Situated in downtown San Francisco, the cathedral is probably the most highly visible Orthodox Church in…
Continue reading »The Byzantine Sculpture of Michael Lucas
The following is an interview with sculptor Michael Lucas. Mr. Lucas is an accomplished artist who currently focuses on Byzantine-inspired carving in stone. Andrew Gould is working with Michael on an ongoing project to build a baptistery in South Carolina. A. Gould: You started iconographic carving late in your life. Tell us about your background as an artist.…
Continue reading »Liturgical Furniture for an Historic Cathedral
I was asked, in 2015, to design a set of liturgical furniture for Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Baltimore. When I looked at the building, I could see that this would be a complex project with several stylistic influences in play. The monumental structure was built by a Protestant congregation in 1888 in the ‘Richardsonian…
Continue reading »The Principles of Orthodox Architecture Expressed in a Secular Building
If I may ask my readers’ indulgence, I would like to present one of my projects that is, emphatically, not Orthodox liturgical art. In full disclosure, it is a temple of another, quite secular, liturgy – the buying and selling of craft beer and fine wine. But, before you admonish me for writing about a…
Continue reading »The Task Fears the Maestro; Reflections on a Choral Master Class with Vladimir Gorbik
There is a Russian adage which translates as “the task fears the master craftsman,”[*] meaning work goes well when one knows one’s business. In the case of the recent master class in choral singing and conducting, entitled The Performance and Interpretation of Russian Sacred Choral Music, one could easily change this adage to “the task…
Continue reading »