Recently, iconographer Aidan Hart published the thought-provoking essay “Hand and machine: Making liturgical furnishings”. Mr. Hart’s piece is part of an ongoing exploration by liturgical artists of the question of how technology has changed, and is continuing to change, our relationship to crafts that have up until recently been done by hand. Liturgical designer Andrew Gould has […]
For Immediate Release The Patriarch Tikhon Choir, a unique choral ensemble made up of professional singers from Russia and North America, under the direction of renowned Moscow conductor Vladimir Gorbik, will perform their premiere concert series of Orthodox sacred choral works entitled “Their Sound Hath Gone Forth,” Monday, September 16, 2013, at St. Malachy’s – […]
The following article was written by my wife, Maria Sheehan. There was great anticipation in the choir from St. Tikhon’s as the day for Maestro Gorbik’s arrival approached. The seminarians were already carrying their normal course load, many caring for their families in addition to maintaining their duties as clergy or altar servers. Yet in […]
This is post 4 of 6 in the series “Notes from The Psalterion” Part one of this series outlined an argument as to why Orthodox liturgical singing needs to be treated as a privilege, a craft, and a discipline. I’ve spent some time on the craft end of the discussion; I’d like to now devote […]
A Master Class and Concert with Vladimir Gorbik — Feb. 28 to Mar. 3, 2013 As part of its 75th anniversary celebration, Saint Tikhon’s Seminary will host a rigorous three-day master class for the select student choirs of three of America’s premier Orthodox Christian seminaries — Saint Tikhon’s Seminary, Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, and Holy Trinity […]
A Travelogue December 27, 2012 – January 9, 2013 Vladimir Gorbik Conductor, teacher, mentor, friend—Vladimir Gorbik is arguably the finest living conductor of Russian church music, and the reason for my journey to Moscow this past December and January. Over the course of about two weeks I was privileged to work closely with him and […]
This is post 3 of 6 in the series “Notes from The Psalterion” In part one of this series, I outlined the argument that Orthodox liturgical singing, given that it is above all else an offering to God, is a privilege, a craft, and a discipline. In part two, I tried to suggest, at least in […]
The mission of The Saint John of Damascus Society is “revealing Orthodox Christianity through its sacred music”, and one part of how we seek to do this to be a collaborative partner for existing arts organizations and entities on projects promoting Orthodox liturgical music. Our first collaboration to reach the public eye is a segment […]
This is post 2 of 6 in the series “Notes from The Psalterion” In the first installment, I discussed a set of ideals that essentially argue that Orthodox liturgical singing is, first and foremost, an offering to God and to be treated as such — in short, that it is a privilege, a craft, and […]