Travelogue: The International Society for Orthodox Church Music 2015
In June of 2014, I was a participant in Kurt Sander’s Pan-Orthodox Liturgical Music Symposium at Northern Kentucky University. While I was there, a gentleman whose acquaintance I had newly made, one David Lucs, on hand to give a presentation on children’s music education, was rather excitedly asking virtually everybody during a coffee break, “Are…
Continue reading »The State of Church Singing in America: An Interview with Choirmaster Benedict Sheehan
Editor’s Note: This interview appeared originally on pravoslavie.ru, with questions posed by Jesse Dominick. Benedict Sheehan is a composer, conductor, arranger, writer about, and teacher of, music. He currently plies his trade at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and Monastery, where, since 2010, he has taught Orthodox liturgical music and directed the choirs. Benedict is also a regular…
Continue reading »First PaTRAM Institute Moscow Choral Workshop Concludes
On the morning of September 2, 2015, 34 international guests gathered at the Moscow Podvorye of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra for a five day workshop and master class sponsored by the Patriarch Tikhon Russian American Music (PaTRAM) Institute. As guests of the Podvorye, they worked with PaTRAM Artistic Director, Vladimir Gorbik, and joined members of…
Continue reading »Hope and Fragility: An Interview With Neo Coptic Iconographer Stéphane René
The Coptic tradition of iconography is one of which we know very little about in the West. So many of the ancient monuments were destroyed or came to disrepair as Copts in Egypt were subject to Islamic rule in the 7th century. It is only recently that the old monuments are being rediscovered, cleaned and restored properly.…
Continue reading »Till Morn Eternal Breaks—A Concert of New Music to Benefit St. Tikhon’s
Today’s press release from St. Tikhon’s Seminary: SOUTH CANAAN, PA (August 31, 2015) – The Chamber Choir of St. Tikhon’s Monastery, a professional vocal ensemble under the auspices of America’s oldest Orthodox monastery, will give a concert in New York City on November 12 at the Roman Catholic church of St. John Nepomucene at 66th and…
Continue reading »Lighting in Orthodox Churches: Liturgical Principles and Practical Ideas
What are we aiming to achieve when we choose lighting for an Orthodox church? We need a certain amount of light to see, but lighting also creates an ambience, helps to create an inner state. So what ambience are we seeking to create in our churches? These and other questions face parishes and monasteries when…
Continue reading »Modernity and Tradition in the Religious Art of Spyros Papaloukas
Spyros Papaloukas (1892-1957) was a major Greek painter of the first half of the twentieth century. Almost a legend for some, he was an innovator of Greek landscape painting. Although not mainly a church iconographer, he holds a very particular position alongside Photis Kontoglou in contemporary liturgical arts. He was born in 1892, started…
Continue reading »The Samaritan Woman, Baptism and the Hexagon
A little while ago an iconographer wrote me to ask advice on what shape he should make the well in an icon of the Samaritan Woman, who is known in tradition as St-Photini. After answering him, I realized that this detail in the icon is a good example of how so much can be hidden…
Continue reading »The Question of Polychrome – Part 2: Painting a Byzantine Analogion
This is post 2 of 2 in the series “The Question of Polychrome for Liturgical Woodcarving” Andrew Gould looks at the role polychromy has played in historical liturgical arts and how it can be adapted to contemporary designs. The Question of Polychrome for Liturgical Woodcarving – Part 1 The Question of Polychrome – Part 2:…
Continue reading »The Question of Polychrome for Liturgical Woodcarving – Part 1
This is post 1 of 2 in the series “The Question of Polychrome for Liturgical Woodcarving” Andrew Gould looks at the role polychromy has played in historical liturgical arts and how it can be adapted to contemporary designs. The Question of Polychrome for Liturgical Woodcarving – Part 1 The Question of Polychrome – Part 2:…
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