Dear Choir:
Good morning! I hope you are having a pleasant week.
Here are some notes from the loft in Northeast:
1) Rehearsal: TODAY @ 7:00 PM - we will be going over material for Liturgy on Sunday, as well as the Advent/Christmas Concert. Please attend four rehearsals before the concert. Also, please remember to bring your black binderswith you to rehearsal. Thanks!
2) Wedding - Saturday, November 6 @ 3:00 PM (GROUP 2)
3) Advent/Christmas Concert: Saturday, December 4 @ 7:00 PM (Cathedral)
Happy birthday to David Nelson (November 2) and Julie Memorich (November 4). May God grant you many years!
Warmest regards,
Rowan
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Choir Notes (October 27)
Dear Choir:
I hope none of you are the worse for wear after yesterday's storm system. According to the ladies making "holubki" for the Christmas Fair, we witnessed one of the lowest low pressure systems in the history of Minnesota!
Here are some announcements for the upcoming week:
1) Thank you to all who attended the Annual Choir Banquet last Sunday at Elsie's. By all accounts, it was an extremely successful event! A special thank you to Kathy Eich for putting in countless hours to make the banquet so special!
2) Rehearsal: TODAY @ 7:00 PM - we will be going over some material for Liturgy on Sunday, as well as the Advent/Christmas Concert. Please attend four rehearsals before the concert. Thanks!
3) Wedding - Saturday, November 6 @ 3:00 PM (GROUP 2)
4) Advent/Christmas Concert: Saturday, December 4 @ 7:00 PM (Cathedral)
Best wishes for a pleasant day,
Rowan
I hope none of you are the worse for wear after yesterday's storm system. According to the ladies making "holubki" for the Christmas Fair, we witnessed one of the lowest low pressure systems in the history of Minnesota!
Here are some announcements for the upcoming week:
1) Thank you to all who attended the Annual Choir Banquet last Sunday at Elsie's. By all accounts, it was an extremely successful event! A special thank you to Kathy Eich for putting in countless hours to make the banquet so special!
2) Rehearsal: TODAY @ 7:00 PM - we will be going over some material for Liturgy on Sunday, as well as the Advent/Christmas Concert. Please attend four rehearsals before the concert. Thanks!
3) Wedding - Saturday, November 6 @ 3:00 PM (GROUP 2)
4) Advent/Christmas Concert: Saturday, December 4 @ 7:00 PM (Cathedral)
Best wishes for a pleasant day,
Rowan
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Choir Notes (October 13)
Dear Choir:
Thank you for all your hard work recently! We are so fortunate to have such wonderful, dedicated singers at the Cathedral.
Just a few announcements:
1) Rehearsal this evening from 7:00-7:30pm. We will rehearse some music for Sunday and for the Advent concert.
2) Annual Meeting today following rehearsal.
3) Wedding: Saturday, November 6 @ 2:30 PM GROUP 2
4) Advent Concert: Saturday, December 4 @ 7:00 PM (Cathedral)
Best wishes for a pleasant day.
Respectfully,
Rowan
Thank you for all your hard work recently! We are so fortunate to have such wonderful, dedicated singers at the Cathedral.
Just a few announcements:
1) Rehearsal this evening from 7:00-7:30pm. We will rehearse some music for Sunday and for the Advent concert.
2) Annual Meeting today following rehearsal.
3) Wedding: Saturday, November 6 @ 2:30 PM GROUP 2
4) Advent Concert: Saturday, December 4 @ 7:00 PM (Cathedral)
Best wishes for a pleasant day.
Respectfully,
Rowan
Friday, September 24, 2010
St. Silouan the Athonite article
Drops of golden wisdom, or what is significant about Silouan the Athonite?
Saint Silouan loved and cried, prayed and sang. He prayed by weeping
and singing in humility and love. He grew up in Russia, labored on
Mount Athos, and loved the whole world and prayed for everyone. He did
not read newspapers, he was not interested in the news, but he felt
the pain and suffering of people as his own. “Understand – it is so
simple. I feel sorry for those people who do not know God or go
against God; my heart suffers for them, and tears flow from my eyes.
We see clearly both paradise and torment. God said “The Kingdom of
Heaven is inside us.” From there begins eternal life; from there
begins eternal torment.
So what is so special about him?
Simeon Antonov, the future Silouan, was a simple, barely literate
peasant from the Tambov gubernia. He was born in 1866 and served in
the army. He was tall, well built, kind and extremely sensitive (this
characteristic he inherited from his father). Already on Mount Athos,
an elder remembered how once, while working with Silouan on the field,
he prepared meat for lunch and forgot it was Friday. Silouan appeared
not to notice. After half a year had passed, he related that he had
eaten the meat then with disgust, as if it were carrion, but did not
make any comment. He found the appropriate moment for the lesson only
after a long time had passed.
When he was 12 years old, Simeon heard the story of Saint John
Sezenovskii and suddenly understood: “If he is holy, that means God is
with us, and there is no need for me to go all around the world to
find Him.” The young boy so lively and seriously turned to his faith
that he immediately wanted to become tonsured as a monk. His parents
restrained him: “First, finish your service in the army, and then you
will be free to go to the monastery.” Life again began to flow with
everyday cares, work, vanity, and various distractions deepened his
spiritual thirst. Simeon lived “like everybody”. Village girls were
lost in admiration of him. Simeon did not refuse their attentions and
sinned with a fellow village girl. The next morning, his father
quietly asked him, “Where were you yesterday? My heart hurt.” These
words struck Silouan deeply in his soul. Later the elder said, “I
never came close to my father. He was completely uneducated…but was
meek and wise.”
Already the time to join the army approached, when his desire for
monasticism was resurrected. In a dream he suddenly saw and understood
the futility of his life and resolved to save his soul forever,
leaving the world. Soldierly life only strengthened him in this.
Simeon Antonov came to Mount Athos in 1892. Taking the name Silouan,
he worked on a mill, then as a housekeeper. The Russian monastery of
Panteleimon at that time was a town in and of itself, with its own
agriculture and a population of about 2000 people. The monk Silouan
died in 1938. Biographical facts only bring about disappointment –
there was no speedy “rise among the ranks”, nor any kind of
exceptional accomplishments… the elder Silouan did not even use his
special fame among the Athonite brotherhood – some admired him, but
others asked in bewilderment: “What do you find so special about him?”
Fortunately, our information concerning the saint is not exhausted by
facts from the monastery archive. The closest disciple of Silouan –
Archimandrite Sofronii (Sakharov) compiled his life story and
spiritual portrait, how he understood the elder after many years under
his direction. And, even more valuable, Father Sofronii published the
notes of Silouan himself, wonderful drops of golden wisdom. Reading
them, we gradually discover the mystery of the spiritual path of the
saint – a most vivid and unusual path, filled with the highest joys
and painful sorrows, a path passing along the very border of the
despair of Hell and Heavenly comfort.
Silouan never had a spiritual guide on Mount Athos who could protect
him from the dangers that without fail present themselves to a new
monk. He was led by the centuries-old traditions of the Athonite
ascetics, the rule of monastery life. The primary way to salvation was
to give oneself over to the Will of God.
“When there are no good spiritual guides,” wrote the saint, “then one
must give oneself up entirely to the Will of God in humility, and then
God through his grace will make you wise, for God loves us so much it
is impossible to express, and the mind cannot comprehend it, and only
through the Holy Spirit can the love of God be known from faith, it
cannot be known by the mind.”
In such a manner Silouan described his spiritual life: a sequence of
searches, encounters with God, losses of grace, again searches: “The
Lord calls the sinful soul to repentance, and the soul turns to the
Lord, and He prayerfully takes it and shows it Himself. The Lord is
very merciful, humble and meek. According the abundance of His
goodness He does not remember the sins of the soul, and the soul falls
in love with Him completely, and breaks towards Him, as a bird from a
crowded cage to the verdant grove. The soul of a person knows God, the
God of mercy, and compassionate, and most-sweet, and completely falls
in love with Him, and through the great heat of love it is drawn to
Him unsatisfied, for the grace of God is highly sweet and burns the
mind, and the heart, and all the weak body. And suddenly the soul
loses that grace of God, and it thinks then: somehow I must have
offended the Master; I will ask mercy of Him; maybe He will again give
me grace, for my soul already does not want anything else in this
world other than God. The love of God is so intense that if the soul
tastes it, it will not desire anything else; and if the soul loses it
or if grace is lessened, then the soul will pour out such prayers
before God, desiring again to obtain His grace. In such a manner,
Saint Seraphim stood three years day and night on a rock, for his soul
knew God, and was sweetened by His grace, and fell in love with Him
entirely.”
My heart suffers for the entire world
The notes of Saint Silouan the Athonite belong to a completely
different genre. The ascetic did not receive much education, but was
able to read and write. Therefore the rich spiritual experience and
natural gifts of the soul were expressed in short axioms, deprived of
any kind of literary beauty, not darkened by any kind of outside
“plan” (the many grammatical and syntactical mistakes were corrected
by editors). In essence the works of Silouan are an unalloyed
expression of Orthodox theology, in form an extended song, an
unhurried prayer, praise, weeping, weaved from the wisdom of the Holy
Fathers. It is difficult to describe them rationally, just as it is
pointless to describe music.
Here are a few of the excerpts from the notes of the elder Silouan:
“My soul always yearns for God and prays night and day, for the name
of God is sweet and longed-for by the praying soul and burns the soul
to love God.”
“Some argue about faith, and there is no end to these arguments. It is
not worthwhile to argue. Only pray to God and the Mother of God, and
the Lord will quickly enlighten without arguments.”
“There are people who say that there is no God. They speak this way
because in their heart lives a proud spirit, which leads them to lie
against the Truth and the Church of God. They think that they are
intelligent, but really they do not even understand that these ideas
are not theirs, but proceed from the Enemy; but if someone takes such
ideas to heart and loves, then such a person comes close to an evil
spirit. And God forbid that anyone should die in such a condition.”
“Pride does not allow the soul to walk upon the path of faith. I give
the unbeliever this advice: Let him say: “Lord, if you exist, then
enlighten me, and I will serve You with all my heart and soul.” And
then he will be constantly enlightened for such a humble thought and
preparedness to serve the Lord God. But do not say: “If you exist,
then punish me”, for if the punishment comes, then perhaps you will
not find the strength to thank God and repent.”
“If people were to know that there is a spiritual science, then they
would throw away all there other sciences and technology and
concentrate only on God. His Beauty captivates the soul, and attracts,
and greatly desires to be with Him, and does not want anything else.
It looks on all the kingdoms of the world as clouds drifting by in the
sky.”
“We all suffer on earth and seek freedom, but few know what is
freedom, where it is. And I also want freedom and day and night I
search for it. I know that it is in God, and from God it is given to a
humble heart, which has repented and cut off its will before Him. The
Lord gives His peace to the repentant and the freedom to love Him. And
there is nothing better in the world than to love God and one’s
neighbor. In this the soul obtains peace and joy.”
“O peoples of this earth, I fall down before you on my knees and
beseech with tears: come to Christ. I know His love for you. I know
and therefore cry out throughout the world. (If one did not know this,
then how could one speak of it?)”
“You ask: ‘Well, how can I know God?’ And I say that we see the Lord
through the Holy Spirit. And if you humble yourself, then the Holy
Spirit will show you our God; and you too will want to cry out
concerning Him throughout the world.”
“I am old and await death and write the truth about love to the
people, concerning whom my soul suffers. Maybe one soul will be saved;
and for it I will thank God. But my heart suffers for the whole world,
and I pray, and I shed tears for the whole world, so that all would
repent and know God, and live in love, and would be sweetened by
freedom in God.”
“O all peoples of the earth, pray and weep over your sins so that Lord
would forgive them. Where there is forgiveness of sins, there is
freedom of conscious and love, even if only a little.”
Priest Nikolai Solodov (translation by RM from
http://www.pravmir.ru/kapli-zolotyx-myslej/)
Saint Silouan loved and cried, prayed and sang. He prayed by weeping
and singing in humility and love. He grew up in Russia, labored on
Mount Athos, and loved the whole world and prayed for everyone. He did
not read newspapers, he was not interested in the news, but he felt
the pain and suffering of people as his own. “Understand – it is so
simple. I feel sorry for those people who do not know God or go
against God; my heart suffers for them, and tears flow from my eyes.
We see clearly both paradise and torment. God said “The Kingdom of
Heaven is inside us.” From there begins eternal life; from there
begins eternal torment.
So what is so special about him?
Simeon Antonov, the future Silouan, was a simple, barely literate
peasant from the Tambov gubernia. He was born in 1866 and served in
the army. He was tall, well built, kind and extremely sensitive (this
characteristic he inherited from his father). Already on Mount Athos,
an elder remembered how once, while working with Silouan on the field,
he prepared meat for lunch and forgot it was Friday. Silouan appeared
not to notice. After half a year had passed, he related that he had
eaten the meat then with disgust, as if it were carrion, but did not
make any comment. He found the appropriate moment for the lesson only
after a long time had passed.
When he was 12 years old, Simeon heard the story of Saint John
Sezenovskii and suddenly understood: “If he is holy, that means God is
with us, and there is no need for me to go all around the world to
find Him.” The young boy so lively and seriously turned to his faith
that he immediately wanted to become tonsured as a monk. His parents
restrained him: “First, finish your service in the army, and then you
will be free to go to the monastery.” Life again began to flow with
everyday cares, work, vanity, and various distractions deepened his
spiritual thirst. Simeon lived “like everybody”. Village girls were
lost in admiration of him. Simeon did not refuse their attentions and
sinned with a fellow village girl. The next morning, his father
quietly asked him, “Where were you yesterday? My heart hurt.” These
words struck Silouan deeply in his soul. Later the elder said, “I
never came close to my father. He was completely uneducated…but was
meek and wise.”
Already the time to join the army approached, when his desire for
monasticism was resurrected. In a dream he suddenly saw and understood
the futility of his life and resolved to save his soul forever,
leaving the world. Soldierly life only strengthened him in this.
Simeon Antonov came to Mount Athos in 1892. Taking the name Silouan,
he worked on a mill, then as a housekeeper. The Russian monastery of
Panteleimon at that time was a town in and of itself, with its own
agriculture and a population of about 2000 people. The monk Silouan
died in 1938. Biographical facts only bring about disappointment –
there was no speedy “rise among the ranks”, nor any kind of
exceptional accomplishments… the elder Silouan did not even use his
special fame among the Athonite brotherhood – some admired him, but
others asked in bewilderment: “What do you find so special about him?”
Fortunately, our information concerning the saint is not exhausted by
facts from the monastery archive. The closest disciple of Silouan –
Archimandrite Sofronii (Sakharov) compiled his life story and
spiritual portrait, how he understood the elder after many years under
his direction. And, even more valuable, Father Sofronii published the
notes of Silouan himself, wonderful drops of golden wisdom. Reading
them, we gradually discover the mystery of the spiritual path of the
saint – a most vivid and unusual path, filled with the highest joys
and painful sorrows, a path passing along the very border of the
despair of Hell and Heavenly comfort.
Silouan never had a spiritual guide on Mount Athos who could protect
him from the dangers that without fail present themselves to a new
monk. He was led by the centuries-old traditions of the Athonite
ascetics, the rule of monastery life. The primary way to salvation was
to give oneself over to the Will of God.
“When there are no good spiritual guides,” wrote the saint, “then one
must give oneself up entirely to the Will of God in humility, and then
God through his grace will make you wise, for God loves us so much it
is impossible to express, and the mind cannot comprehend it, and only
through the Holy Spirit can the love of God be known from faith, it
cannot be known by the mind.”
In such a manner Silouan described his spiritual life: a sequence of
searches, encounters with God, losses of grace, again searches: “The
Lord calls the sinful soul to repentance, and the soul turns to the
Lord, and He prayerfully takes it and shows it Himself. The Lord is
very merciful, humble and meek. According the abundance of His
goodness He does not remember the sins of the soul, and the soul falls
in love with Him completely, and breaks towards Him, as a bird from a
crowded cage to the verdant grove. The soul of a person knows God, the
God of mercy, and compassionate, and most-sweet, and completely falls
in love with Him, and through the great heat of love it is drawn to
Him unsatisfied, for the grace of God is highly sweet and burns the
mind, and the heart, and all the weak body. And suddenly the soul
loses that grace of God, and it thinks then: somehow I must have
offended the Master; I will ask mercy of Him; maybe He will again give
me grace, for my soul already does not want anything else in this
world other than God. The love of God is so intense that if the soul
tastes it, it will not desire anything else; and if the soul loses it
or if grace is lessened, then the soul will pour out such prayers
before God, desiring again to obtain His grace. In such a manner,
Saint Seraphim stood three years day and night on a rock, for his soul
knew God, and was sweetened by His grace, and fell in love with Him
entirely.”
My heart suffers for the entire world
The notes of Saint Silouan the Athonite belong to a completely
different genre. The ascetic did not receive much education, but was
able to read and write. Therefore the rich spiritual experience and
natural gifts of the soul were expressed in short axioms, deprived of
any kind of literary beauty, not darkened by any kind of outside
“plan” (the many grammatical and syntactical mistakes were corrected
by editors). In essence the works of Silouan are an unalloyed
expression of Orthodox theology, in form an extended song, an
unhurried prayer, praise, weeping, weaved from the wisdom of the Holy
Fathers. It is difficult to describe them rationally, just as it is
pointless to describe music.
Here are a few of the excerpts from the notes of the elder Silouan:
“My soul always yearns for God and prays night and day, for the name
of God is sweet and longed-for by the praying soul and burns the soul
to love God.”
“Some argue about faith, and there is no end to these arguments. It is
not worthwhile to argue. Only pray to God and the Mother of God, and
the Lord will quickly enlighten without arguments.”
“There are people who say that there is no God. They speak this way
because in their heart lives a proud spirit, which leads them to lie
against the Truth and the Church of God. They think that they are
intelligent, but really they do not even understand that these ideas
are not theirs, but proceed from the Enemy; but if someone takes such
ideas to heart and loves, then such a person comes close to an evil
spirit. And God forbid that anyone should die in such a condition.”
“Pride does not allow the soul to walk upon the path of faith. I give
the unbeliever this advice: Let him say: “Lord, if you exist, then
enlighten me, and I will serve You with all my heart and soul.” And
then he will be constantly enlightened for such a humble thought and
preparedness to serve the Lord God. But do not say: “If you exist,
then punish me”, for if the punishment comes, then perhaps you will
not find the strength to thank God and repent.”
“If people were to know that there is a spiritual science, then they
would throw away all there other sciences and technology and
concentrate only on God. His Beauty captivates the soul, and attracts,
and greatly desires to be with Him, and does not want anything else.
It looks on all the kingdoms of the world as clouds drifting by in the
sky.”
“We all suffer on earth and seek freedom, but few know what is
freedom, where it is. And I also want freedom and day and night I
search for it. I know that it is in God, and from God it is given to a
humble heart, which has repented and cut off its will before Him. The
Lord gives His peace to the repentant and the freedom to love Him. And
there is nothing better in the world than to love God and one’s
neighbor. In this the soul obtains peace and joy.”
“O peoples of this earth, I fall down before you on my knees and
beseech with tears: come to Christ. I know His love for you. I know
and therefore cry out throughout the world. (If one did not know this,
then how could one speak of it?)”
“You ask: ‘Well, how can I know God?’ And I say that we see the Lord
through the Holy Spirit. And if you humble yourself, then the Holy
Spirit will show you our God; and you too will want to cry out
concerning Him throughout the world.”
“I am old and await death and write the truth about love to the
people, concerning whom my soul suffers. Maybe one soul will be saved;
and for it I will thank God. But my heart suffers for the whole world,
and I pray, and I shed tears for the whole world, so that all would
repent and know God, and live in love, and would be sweetened by
freedom in God.”
“O all peoples of the earth, pray and weep over your sins so that Lord
would forgive them. Where there is forgiveness of sins, there is
freedom of conscious and love, even if only a little.”
Priest Nikolai Solodov (translation by RM from
http://www.pravmir.ru/kapli-zolotyx-myslej/)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Choir Notes (September 22)
Dear Choir:
I hope you are all well. Thank you for your continued commitment to the liturgical life of the Cathedral! The parish is blessed to have such wonderful singers.
Please find below some notes:
1) TODAY - Choir rehearsal @ 7:00 PM. We will be rehearsing music for the visit of Metropolitan Jonah on Sunday, October 3. Hope to see you there!
2) Sunday, September 26 - Youth Choir from 11:50 AM - 12:10 PM in the Choir Office. Spread the word!
3) Wednesday, September 29 - Zedashe Ensemble Concert @ 7:30 PM. PLEASE COME!!! Tickets can be purchased at the door - $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for students.
4) Friday, October 1 - Parish Feast (Protection of the Holy Virgin)
5) Saturday, October 2 - Wedding @ 3:30 PM GROUP 1
6) Sunday, October 3 - Hierarchical Liturgy @ 9:00 AM with Metropolitan Jonah. For those of you who know the Matusiaks, Deacon Joseph will be serving.
7) Wednesday, October 6 - Hierarchical Liturgy @ 8:00 AM (prior to the election of a new bishop).
8) Wednesday, October 6 - Choir rehearsal @ 7:00 PM ... we will begin preparing for our Advent concert.
9) Saturday, December 4 - Advent concert @ 7:00 PM in the Cathedral.
Best wishes,
Rowan Morbey
I hope you are all well. Thank you for your continued commitment to the liturgical life of the Cathedral! The parish is blessed to have such wonderful singers.
Please find below some notes:
1) TODAY - Choir rehearsal @ 7:00 PM. We will be rehearsing music for the visit of Metropolitan Jonah on Sunday, October 3. Hope to see you there!
2) Sunday, September 26 - Youth Choir from 11:50 AM - 12:10 PM in the Choir Office. Spread the word!
3) Wednesday, September 29 - Zedashe Ensemble Concert @ 7:30 PM. PLEASE COME!!! Tickets can be purchased at the door - $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for students.
4) Friday, October 1 - Parish Feast (Protection of the Holy Virgin)
5) Saturday, October 2 - Wedding @ 3:30 PM GROUP 1
6) Sunday, October 3 - Hierarchical Liturgy @ 9:00 AM with Metropolitan Jonah. For those of you who know the Matusiaks, Deacon Joseph will be serving.
7) Wednesday, October 6 - Hierarchical Liturgy @ 8:00 AM (prior to the election of a new bishop).
8) Wednesday, October 6 - Choir rehearsal @ 7:00 PM ... we will begin preparing for our Advent concert.
9) Saturday, December 4 - Advent concert @ 7:00 PM in the Cathedral.
Best wishes,
Rowan Morbey
Rehearsal next week
Since next Wednesday (September 29) there will be a concert at the
Cathedral, we will have a short rehearsal from 8:00 PM - 8:30 PM on
Thursday (September 30) in anticipation of the Metropolitan's visit
following Vespers and Litya for the Feast of the Protection.
Thank you to the 25 people who attended rehearsal last night! I
enjoyed singing and working with you.
Best regards,
Rowan
Cathedral, we will have a short rehearsal from 8:00 PM - 8:30 PM on
Thursday (September 30) in anticipation of the Metropolitan's visit
following Vespers and Litya for the Feast of the Protection.
Thank you to the 25 people who attended rehearsal last night! I
enjoyed singing and working with you.
Best regards,
Rowan
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Choir Notes (September 16)
Dear Choir:
Welcome to the start of the new choir season! Yesterday, we had a successful rehearsal and meeting. Thank you to all who attended and participated! Please find below the latest news from the loft in Northeast:
1) Our parish feast day is on Friday, October 1. On Sunday, October 3, Metropolitan Jonah WILL be serving with us at the Cathedral. These are two important events in the life of our parish community. Next Wednesday’s rehearsal will be the only chance to practice for these services. Your attendance would be greatly appreciated! In addition, there will be a Hierarchical Liturgy on Wednesday, October 6 @ 8:00 AM preceding the election of a new bishop for the Diocese of the Midwest.
2) At the choir meeting, we voted to have a Christmas-themed concert on Saturday, December 4 @ 7:00 PM in the Cathedral. The tentative plan is to sing traditional hymns of the Nativity (i.e. “Glory to God in the Highest” Bortniansky, “God is with us…” Kastalsky, odes from the Christmas Canon etc.), carols that we are familiar with (i.e. “O who loves Nicholas the saintly…, etc.), and some selections from the concert Resa put together last year. Stay tuned for further information!
3) The choir voted to hold the Annual Choir Banquet at Elsie’s following Church School on Sunday, October 24.
4) The Zedashe Ensemble will be singing at the Cathedral on Wednesday, September 29 @ 7:30 PM. I would highly encourage choir members to attend. Further details can be found at: http://www.stmarysoca.org/news.html.
5) Wedding: Saturday, October 2 @ 3:30 PM GROUP 1
I wish you all a pleasant end to the week, and look forward to singing with you in the near future.
Regards,
Rowan
Welcome to the start of the new choir season! Yesterday, we had a successful rehearsal and meeting. Thank you to all who attended and participated! Please find below the latest news from the loft in Northeast:
1) Our parish feast day is on Friday, October 1. On Sunday, October 3, Metropolitan Jonah WILL be serving with us at the Cathedral. These are two important events in the life of our parish community. Next Wednesday’s rehearsal will be the only chance to practice for these services. Your attendance would be greatly appreciated! In addition, there will be a Hierarchical Liturgy on Wednesday, October 6 @ 8:00 AM preceding the election of a new bishop for the Diocese of the Midwest.
2) At the choir meeting, we voted to have a Christmas-themed concert on Saturday, December 4 @ 7:00 PM in the Cathedral. The tentative plan is to sing traditional hymns of the Nativity (i.e. “Glory to God in the Highest” Bortniansky, “God is with us…” Kastalsky, odes from the Christmas Canon etc.), carols that we are familiar with (i.e. “O who loves Nicholas the saintly…, etc.), and some selections from the concert Resa put together last year. Stay tuned for further information!
3) The choir voted to hold the Annual Choir Banquet at Elsie’s following Church School on Sunday, October 24.
4) The Zedashe Ensemble will be singing at the Cathedral on Wednesday, September 29 @ 7:30 PM. I would highly encourage choir members to attend. Further details can be found at: http://www.stmarysoca.org/news.html.
5) Wedding: Saturday, October 2 @ 3:30 PM GROUP 1
I wish you all a pleasant end to the week, and look forward to singing with you in the near future.
Regards,
Rowan
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Dear Choir:
Greetings! I hope you are all well and enjoying the dog days of summer. As usual, here are some notes for the upcoming week:
1) Tomorrow is the Great Feast of the Transfiguration - Vespers and Litya (tonight, 7:00pm @ Cathedral); Matins (tomorrow, 8:00am @ Cathedral); Liturgy (tomorrow, 9:00am @ Cathedral)
2) Please see me for the Troparia and Kontakia for Sunday. Also, we will be singing the Magnification for the Transfiguration during clergy communion.
3) There is a wedding on August 22 @ 2:00pm (GROUP 2)
4) We have just received confirmation that the Zedashe Ensemble will be coming to the Cathedral to present a concert on Wednesday, September 29 @ 7:30pm. The Zedashe Ensemble sings music from the Republic of Georgia, a small country located on the eastern end of the Black Sea with an ancient Orthodox Christian heritage. They have previously performed at a variety of venues across the United States, including St. Nicholas OCA Cathedral in Washington, DC. This is an exciting opportunity, and I would hope that as many choir members as possible would set aside time to attend this event. As more details become available, I will let you know. In the meantime, here is a link to their official website: http://www.zedashe.org/index.html.
Respectfully,
Rowan
Greetings! I hope you are all well and enjoying the dog days of summer. As usual, here are some notes for the upcoming week:
1) Tomorrow is the Great Feast of the Transfiguration - Vespers and Litya (tonight, 7:00pm @ Cathedral); Matins (tomorrow, 8:00am @ Cathedral); Liturgy (tomorrow, 9:00am @ Cathedral)
2) Please see me for the Troparia and Kontakia for Sunday. Also, we will be singing the Magnification for the Transfiguration during clergy communion.
3) There is a wedding on August 22 @ 2:00pm (GROUP 2)
4) We have just received confirmation that the Zedashe Ensemble will be coming to the Cathedral to present a concert on Wednesday, September 29 @ 7:30pm. The Zedashe Ensemble sings music from the Republic of Georgia, a small country located on the eastern end of the Black Sea with an ancient Orthodox Christian heritage. They have previously performed at a variety of venues across the United States, including St. Nicholas OCA Cathedral in Washington, DC. This is an exciting opportunity, and I would hope that as many choir members as possible would set aside time to attend this event. As more details become available, I will let you know. In the meantime, here is a link to their official website: http://www.zedashe.org/index.html.
Respectfully,
Rowan
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Choir Notes (June 22)
Dear Choir:
I am writing to you to provide some updates from "the loft" in Northeast:
1) I will be away next week at Church Camp. The services at the Cathedral will be covered in the following manner:
a. Vespers - Saturday, June 26 6:00PM @ Chapel: Sara Ann Pogorely
b. Liturgy - Sunday, June 27 8:30AM @ Chapel: Julie Moricz; 9:00AM @ Cathedral: Sara Ann Pogorely
c. Vespers (Peter and Paul) - Monday, June 28 7:00PM @ Chapel: Julie Moricz
d. Liturgy (Peter and Paul) - Tuesday, June 29 9:00AM @ Chapel: Julie Moricz
e. Vespers - Wednesday, June 30 6:15PM @ Cathedral: ?
f. Vespers - Saturday, July 3 6:00PM @ Chapel: Julie Moricz
Many thanks to Sara Ann and Julie for filling in!
2) Due to the holiday on July 4th, there will be ONE Liturgy at the Cathedral (9:00AM).
3) Due to the visit of His Grace, Bishop Michael of New York and New Jersey, on July 11th there will be ONE Liturgy at the Cathedral (9:00AM). I have yet to hear whether it will be a full Hierarchical Liturgy or not.
4) Choir rehearsals for the BDAA Concert are on Thursday, July 1 and Thursday, July 8 @ 7:00PM (Cathedral). The concert itself is July 11 @ 6:30PM (Sheraton Hotel, Bloomington, MN). For further details, contact Rachel or Sara Ann.
5) Please see the Troparia and Kontakia for the next two Sundays - June 27 (https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4qfpQvrFcBGYjIxODhlMGItNjViNC00YmVjLWE4ZmUtZDA5MTY3NzAwYjM1&hl=en) and July 4 (https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4qfpQvrFcBGNmEzMWE3NDMtMWU5Yy00YTYyLThkMjctMTA3ODY5ZGE0YTU5&hl=en). I would strongly suggest looking over them before arriving to church.
6) Wedding - Saturday, July 10 @ 3:30PM (Morse/Herzak) - GROUP 1
7) Wedding - Sunday, August 22 (Hubbard) - GROUP 2
Best wishes,
Rowan Morbey
Interim Choir Director
I am writing to you to provide some updates from "the loft" in Northeast:
1) I will be away next week at Church Camp. The services at the Cathedral will be covered in the following manner:
a. Vespers - Saturday, June 26 6:00PM @ Chapel: Sara Ann Pogorely
b. Liturgy - Sunday, June 27 8:30AM @ Chapel: Julie Moricz; 9:00AM @ Cathedral: Sara Ann Pogorely
c. Vespers (Peter and Paul) - Monday, June 28 7:00PM @ Chapel: Julie Moricz
d. Liturgy (Peter and Paul) - Tuesday, June 29 9:00AM @ Chapel: Julie Moricz
e. Vespers - Wednesday, June 30 6:15PM @ Cathedral: ?
f. Vespers - Saturday, July 3 6:00PM @ Chapel: Julie Moricz
Many thanks to Sara Ann and Julie for filling in!
2) Due to the holiday on July 4th, there will be ONE Liturgy at the Cathedral (9:00AM).
3) Due to the visit of His Grace, Bishop Michael of New York and New Jersey, on July 11th there will be ONE Liturgy at the Cathedral (9:00AM). I have yet to hear whether it will be a full Hierarchical Liturgy or not.
4) Choir rehearsals for the BDAA Concert are on Thursday, July 1 and Thursday, July 8 @ 7:00PM (Cathedral). The concert itself is July 11 @ 6:30PM (Sheraton Hotel, Bloomington, MN). For further details, contact Rachel or Sara Ann.
5) Please see the Troparia and Kontakia for the next two Sundays - June 27 (https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4qfpQvrFcBGYjIxODhlMGItNjViNC00YmVjLWE4ZmUtZDA5MTY3NzAwYjM1&hl=en) and July 4 (https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4qfpQvrFcBGNmEzMWE3NDMtMWU5Yy00YTYyLThkMjctMTA3ODY5ZGE0YTU5&hl=en). I would strongly suggest looking over them before arriving to church.
6) Wedding - Saturday, July 10 @ 3:30PM (Morse/Herzak) - GROUP 1
7) Wedding - Sunday, August 22 (Hubbard) - GROUP 2
Best wishes,
Rowan Morbey
Interim Choir Director
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Choir Notes
Dear Choir:
I hope you are enjoying your summer so far. Please find below some announcements:
- Thank you to everyone who participated in the Choir BBQ last week. Special thanks to Kathy Eich for organizing and planning the successful event!
- The Troparia and Kontakia for this upcoming Sunday may be accessed at the following link: https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4qfpQvrFcBGZGEzYzZlZDQtZWQ4ZC00NjZmLWJkNzYtZjQ4NGYzZDliZmQ4&hl=en. As always, I would encourage you to look at them before Liturgy on Sunday. I will be directing Liturgy and Parastas at the Cemetery Chapel, Sara Ann Pogorely will be at the Cathedral.
- Saturday, July 10 @ 3:30PM --> Wedding (Morse/Herzak)...GROUP 1; Sara Ann directing
- BDAA Performance Information: The performance will be on July 11. Sara Ann will be directing, and she has requested two rehearsals to prepare for the event (Thursday, July 1 and Thursday, July 8 @ 7:00PM). Music will include folk songs (possibly Kol Slaven, Katyusha, 'Tansui, Tansui') as well as upbeat liturgical hymns "'This is the Day', 'Glory to God in the Highest', 'God is With Us'). Also, singers are asked to arrive 45 minutes early on the day of the concert to warm up and rehearse briefly. I am still uncertain as to the location of the performance, but I will let you know as soon as I know. More tenors and baritones would be greatly appreciated.
- Thank you to Annette Simmons and Julie Moricz for doing a great job directing at the Chapel on June 6 and 13 respectively!
- There will be ONE Liturgy on Sunday, July 4th at the Cathedral at 9:00AM.
Regards,
Rowan Morbey
I hope you are enjoying your summer so far. Please find below some announcements:
- Thank you to everyone who participated in the Choir BBQ last week. Special thanks to Kathy Eich for organizing and planning the successful event!
- The Troparia and Kontakia for this upcoming Sunday may be accessed at the following link: https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4qfpQvrFcBGZGEzYzZlZDQtZWQ4ZC00NjZmLWJkNzYtZjQ4NGYzZDliZmQ4&hl=en. As always, I would encourage you to look at them before Liturgy on Sunday. I will be directing Liturgy and Parastas at the Cemetery Chapel, Sara Ann Pogorely will be at the Cathedral.
- Saturday, July 10 @ 3:30PM --> Wedding (Morse/Herzak)...GROUP 1; Sara Ann directing
- BDAA Performance Information: The performance will be on July 11. Sara Ann will be directing, and she has requested two rehearsals to prepare for the event (Thursday, July 1 and Thursday, July 8 @ 7:00PM). Music will include folk songs (possibly Kol Slaven, Katyusha, 'Tansui, Tansui') as well as upbeat liturgical hymns "'This is the Day', 'Glory to God in the Highest', 'God is With Us'). Also, singers are asked to arrive 45 minutes early on the day of the concert to warm up and rehearse briefly. I am still uncertain as to the location of the performance, but I will let you know as soon as I know. More tenors and baritones would be greatly appreciated.
- Thank you to Annette Simmons and Julie Moricz for doing a great job directing at the Chapel on June 6 and 13 respectively!
- There will be ONE Liturgy on Sunday, July 4th at the Cathedral at 9:00AM.
Regards,
Rowan Morbey
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Choir Director Search Announcement
Here is the text of the ad that was sent out regarding the Choir Director position at St. Mary's:
"St Mary' Orthodox Cathedral in Minneapolis is inviting applications for the position of choir director.
This is a full-time staff position. The prospective director will have an appropriate education and formation in Orthodox liturgical singing, especially work with a large choir, and be equipped to fulfil the customary and traditional roles of a choir director and cantor in the Orthodox Church in America.
The start date is somewhat flexible. We will receive applications until June 1.
For a full job description and further information, please St Mary's Cathedral office at office@stmarysoca.org."
"St Mary' Orthodox Cathedral in Minneapolis is inviting applications for the position of choir director.
This is a full-time staff position. The prospective director will have an appropriate education and formation in Orthodox liturgical singing, especially work with a large choir, and be equipped to fulfil the customary and traditional roles of a choir director and cantor in the Orthodox Church in America.
The start date is somewhat flexible. We will receive applications until June 1.
For a full job description and further information, please St Mary's Cathedral office at office@stmarysoca.org."
Art-a-Whirl Presentation
Dear singers,
Those of you who plan to sing at Art-a-Whirl, could you please come to the Parish Center for a warm-up at 4:45 PM on Saturday, May 15. We will then head over to the loft in the church.
Those of you who plan to sing at Art-a-Whirl, could you please come to the Parish Center for a warm-up at 4:45 PM on Saturday, May 15. We will then head over to the loft in the church.
Choir Director Search Update
The following message will appear in Sunday's bulletin:
"As proposed at the Board Meeting in March, notice that St. Mary's Cathedral invites applications for the position of Choir Director was posted on the Monday after Bright Week. The notice was sent for publication/distribution to the Chancery of the Diocese of the Midwest, St. Vladimir's Seminary, the Pan-Orthodox Society for the Advancement of Liturgical Music (PSALM) and to the Pastoral Common Room (an OCA clergy list). The notice was also sent to five individuals who had inquired about the Choir Director position earlier in the year.
It is our intention to receive applications until June 1. A small committee will review the applications, identify potential candidates, and make a recommendation to the June Board Meeting about how to follow up with them.
At the moment there are five individuals who have contacted us and expressed an interest in the position and requested further information. Two resumes have been received to date."
"As proposed at the Board Meeting in March, notice that St. Mary's Cathedral invites applications for the position of Choir Director was posted on the Monday after Bright Week. The notice was sent for publication/distribution to the Chancery of the Diocese of the Midwest, St. Vladimir's Seminary, the Pan-Orthodox Society for the Advancement of Liturgical Music (PSALM) and to the Pastoral Common Room (an OCA clergy list). The notice was also sent to five individuals who had inquired about the Choir Director position earlier in the year.
It is our intention to receive applications until June 1. A small committee will review the applications, identify potential candidates, and make a recommendation to the June Board Meeting about how to follow up with them.
At the moment there are five individuals who have contacted us and expressed an interest in the position and requested further information. Two resumes have been received to date."
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Announcements
- Sunday, May 2nd @ 7:00 PM: Parastas (Grivna)
- Monday, May 3rd @ 10:00 AM: Funeral (Grivna)
- Wednesday, May 5th @ 7:00 PM: Choir rehearsal
- Thursday, May 6th @ 6:15 PM: Vespers (St. Alexis)
- Friday, May 7th @ 8:00 AM: Matins; 9:00 AM Liturgy (St. Alexis)
- Wednesday, May 12th @ 6:15PM: Vespers (Ascension); 7:00 PM Choir rehearsal
- Thursday, May 13th @ 8:00 AM: Matins; 9:00 AM Liturgy (Ascension)
- Saturday, May 15th @ 4:45 PM: Art-a-Whirl Concert
- Wednesday, May 19th @ 7:00 PM: Choir rehearsal
- Sunday, May 23rd: Pentecost
- Wednesday, May 26th @ 7:00 PM: Choir rehearsal
- Wedding: May 29th @ 3:00 PM (Group 2)
- Monday, May 31st: Memorial Day Liturgy and Program
- Wednesday, June 2nd: Thanksgiving Molieben Celebration for Fr. Benjamin Tucci
- Wednesday, June 9th: Choir Picnic
- Sunday, July 11th: Performance at Balalaika/Domra Event
- Monday, May 3rd @ 10:00 AM: Funeral (Grivna)
- Wednesday, May 5th @ 7:00 PM: Choir rehearsal
- Thursday, May 6th @ 6:15 PM: Vespers (St. Alexis)
- Friday, May 7th @ 8:00 AM: Matins; 9:00 AM Liturgy (St. Alexis)
- Wednesday, May 12th @ 6:15PM: Vespers (Ascension); 7:00 PM Choir rehearsal
- Thursday, May 13th @ 8:00 AM: Matins; 9:00 AM Liturgy (Ascension)
- Saturday, May 15th @ 4:45 PM: Art-a-Whirl Concert
- Wednesday, May 19th @ 7:00 PM: Choir rehearsal
- Sunday, May 23rd: Pentecost
- Wednesday, May 26th @ 7:00 PM: Choir rehearsal
- Wedding: May 29th @ 3:00 PM (Group 2)
- Monday, May 31st: Memorial Day Liturgy and Program
- Wednesday, June 2nd: Thanksgiving Molieben Celebration for Fr. Benjamin Tucci
- Wednesday, June 9th: Choir Picnic
- Sunday, July 11th: Performance at Balalaika/Domra Event
Memory Eternal!
Larry Grivna passed away yesterday. Funeral arrangements are as follows:
Sunday, May 2, 7:00 PM - Parastas (Radulovich Funeral Chapel)
Monday, May 3, 10:00 AM - Funeral Service (St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral)
May his memory be eternal!
Sunday, May 2, 7:00 PM - Parastas (Radulovich Funeral Chapel)
Monday, May 3, 10:00 AM - Funeral Service (St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral)
May his memory be eternal!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Art-a-Whirl Concert Music
Dear all:
XB!
I have come up with a preliminary program for the Art-a-Whirl Concert. You can see the music at the following site: https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4qfpQvrFcBGNGQzNmNkMjEtMDY0Mi00NjM2LWIyY2QtZDk3YTBkZjgzNDJj&hl=en.
The proposed program is as follows:
I. Feast of Feasts: Orthodox Paschal Hymns
Christ is Risen – English, Slavonic, Spanish
This is the Day… - Bortniansky
The Angel Cried – M. Balakirev
II. Great Lent and Holy Week
By The Waters of Babylon – Kievan Chant
Dismissal Hymn Sunday of Orthodoxy
“Now the Powers…” - Lvovsky
“Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silent…” - Lomakin
III. Selections from the Divine Liturgy
Trisagion – Tchaikovsky
Protection Kontakion- Bulgarian Chant
The Lord’s Prayer – N. Kedrov, Sr.
IV. Pentecost
Let Thy Good Spirit- Soloviev
Come, Thou Holy Spirit – P. Tchesnokov
XB!
I have come up with a preliminary program for the Art-a-Whirl Concert. You can see the music at the following site: https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4qfpQvrFcBGNGQzNmNkMjEtMDY0Mi00NjM2LWIyY2QtZDk3YTBkZjgzNDJj&hl=en.
The proposed program is as follows:
I. Feast of Feasts: Orthodox Paschal Hymns
Christ is Risen – English, Slavonic, Spanish
This is the Day… - Bortniansky
The Angel Cried – M. Balakirev
II. Great Lent and Holy Week
By The Waters of Babylon – Kievan Chant
Dismissal Hymn Sunday of Orthodoxy
“Now the Powers…” - Lvovsky
“Let all Mortal Flesh Keep Silent…” - Lomakin
III. Selections from the Divine Liturgy
Trisagion – Tchaikovsky
Protection Kontakion- Bulgarian Chant
The Lord’s Prayer – N. Kedrov, Sr.
IV. Pentecost
Let Thy Good Spirit- Soloviev
Come, Thou Holy Spirit – P. Tchesnokov
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Weddings
Dear all:
In May, we have two weddings:
May 1 2:00 PM - Group 1
May 29 3:00 PM - Group 2
Here is the Weddings Group List that I found on the computer here at church.
GROUP 1
Sopranos - Rachel Guhanick, Becky Moll, Barbara Leschisin, Lorraine Parlow, Loretta Ridley
Altos - Phyllis Banholzer, Sandy Dennis, Kathy Eich, Darlene Felegy, Barb Neumann, Penny Peters, Connie Tarasar, Nadia Rusinak, Toni Simmons
Tenor - Richard Hofstadter, Dcn. Gregory Krutchek Jr., JoAnn Lucs, Jim Varian, Alex Langley
Bass- Pete Felegy, Harold Lucs, Joe Neumann, Wally Parlow, Adam Rusinak, Mike Russinik
GROUP 2
Sopranos- Deb Chagnon, Lorinda Chagnon, Mary Mecom, Alice Woog, Julie Memorich,Sara Ann Pogorely
Altos- Lynn Barnes, Becky Becker, Kathy Jurichko, Nancy Russell, Lynn Snyder, Diane Stenach, Polly Walker
Tenors - David Nelson, Nina Stenach, Georgian Woehnker, Dan Glumac, Tom Luichinger
Bass- Dan Balach, Pete Kocur, Todd Pilacinski, Dan Czapko, Larry Manoleff, Skip Rither
In May, we have two weddings:
May 1 2:00 PM - Group 1
May 29 3:00 PM - Group 2
Here is the Weddings Group List that I found on the computer here at church.
GROUP 1
Sopranos - Rachel Guhanick, Becky Moll, Barbara Leschisin, Lorraine Parlow, Loretta Ridley
Altos - Phyllis Banholzer, Sandy Dennis, Kathy Eich, Darlene Felegy, Barb Neumann, Penny Peters, Connie Tarasar, Nadia Rusinak, Toni Simmons
Tenor - Richard Hofstadter, Dcn. Gregory Krutchek Jr., JoAnn Lucs, Jim Varian, Alex Langley
Bass- Pete Felegy, Harold Lucs, Joe Neumann, Wally Parlow, Adam Rusinak, Mike Russinik
GROUP 2
Sopranos- Deb Chagnon, Lorinda Chagnon, Mary Mecom, Alice Woog, Julie Memorich,Sara Ann Pogorely
Altos- Lynn Barnes, Becky Becker, Kathy Jurichko, Nancy Russell, Lynn Snyder, Diane Stenach, Polly Walker
Tenors - David Nelson, Nina Stenach, Georgian Woehnker, Dan Glumac, Tom Luichinger
Bass- Dan Balach, Pete Kocur, Todd Pilacinski, Dan Czapko, Larry Manoleff, Skip Rither
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Greetings from a friend of the choir
I received this message during Bright Week from Greg Schaffner. He joined us for Lent a few years ago.
"Dear Rowan,
A group of six of us Episcopalians attended the Paschal services at the cathedral. It was a wonderful experience for all, and there has been quite a bit of conversation among us ever since. We wimped out at the end, I'm afraid, and never went across the street to say hello, which I'd been intending to do. Now that I'm rested up again, I really regret that!
Our regular church choir takes the summer off. Would you be open to having me sit in with your choir a few times during the summer? Just hearing the lovely liturgy again made me very nostalgic.
Many, many thanks for your deep hospitality five years ago(!). Please pass along my regards to any who might remember me.
Happy Pascha!
Greg"
"Dear Rowan,
A group of six of us Episcopalians attended the Paschal services at the cathedral. It was a wonderful experience for all, and there has been quite a bit of conversation among us ever since. We wimped out at the end, I'm afraid, and never went across the street to say hello, which I'd been intending to do. Now that I'm rested up again, I really regret that!
Our regular church choir takes the summer off. Would you be open to having me sit in with your choir a few times during the summer? Just hearing the lovely liturgy again made me very nostalgic.
Many, many thanks for your deep hospitality five years ago(!). Please pass along my regards to any who might remember me.
Happy Pascha!
Greg"
Choir Rehearsal (April 14)
At choir rehearsal today, after doing some brief warm up exercises, we practiced the Troparia and Kontakia for the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women, a setting of the Cherubic Hymn set to the melody of the "Noble Joseph" (which we will sing on Sunday), two more versions of "The Angel Cried...", and another setting of the Paschal Exaposteilarion "In the Flesh...". This was followed by a meeting where many interesting things were discussed. Please see Rachel if you have any questions.
Of particular note, we have two weddings coming up: GROUP 1 May 1st (2 PM - Kristin Henke); GROUP 2 May 29th (3 PM Aliya Kassimova and Andrew Nystrom).
Art-a-Whirl performance is on Saturday, May 15 (5:15 PM). We will be rehearsing for this in the coming weeks.
Pentecost is on May 23rd. Memorial Day is on May 31st - Liturgy 8:30 AM, Program following. It is also the first day of the Peter and Paul Fast...
Of particular note, we have two weddings coming up: GROUP 1 May 1st (2 PM - Kristin Henke); GROUP 2 May 29th (3 PM Aliya Kassimova and Andrew Nystrom).
Art-a-Whirl performance is on Saturday, May 15 (5:15 PM). We will be rehearsing for this in the coming weeks.
Pentecost is on May 23rd. Memorial Day is on May 31st - Liturgy 8:30 AM, Program following. It is also the first day of the Peter and Paul Fast...
Thursday, April 8, 2010
St Thomas (Vespers)
Vespers at St Thomas tomorrow will be at 1:35pm at the Thomas Aquinas chapel. (http://www.stthomas.edu/campusmaps/stpaul/stpaul2D.pdf) it is building 7 on the map
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Vespers and Funeral
Christ is Risen!
On Wednesday, April 7 there will be Vespers at St. Thomas (10:55 AM) for Fr. Ted Wojcik's Liturgics class.
May God grant rest to His newly departed servant William Kovalitsky, who fell asleep in the Lord on Thursday, April 1.
Funeral service will be Wed., April 7 at 2:00 PM, with visitation 1 hour prior to the service at: Washburn-McReavy Glen Haven Chapel 763-533-8643, 5125 W. Broadway, Crystal
Funeral service will be Wed., April 7 at 2:00 PM, with visitation 1 hour prior to the service at: Washburn-McReavy Glen Haven Chapel 763-533-8643, 5125 W. Broadway, Crystal
Friday, March 26, 2010
Funeral
May God grant rest to His newly departed handmaiden, Susan Erickson, who fell asleep in the Lord, today, March 26.
Funeral Arrangements are with Kozlak-Radulovich
Sunday, March 28 ---Visitation and Parastas are at Kozlak-Radulovich.... Parastas at 7 PM
Monday, March 29 ---Funeral at Cathedral at 2:00 PM
Burial at St. Mary's.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Holy Friday Matins Antiphon 15
Here is a link to Antiphon 15 "Today He who hung the earth...", which we have been practicing at rehearsal.
http://stephenhowanetz.tripod.com/PDF%20FILES/Great%20Lent%20Mixed%20PDF/Today%20He%20wh20hung%20the%20earth.pdf
And a link to how it sounds: http://stephenhowanetz.tripod.com/Mid%20Files/Great%20Lent%20Mixed%20MIDI/Today%20He%20who%20hung%20the%20earth.mid
Paschal Typika (Obednitsa)
I have scanned a copy of the Paschal Typika (Obednitsa) Service which will be sung on Pascha morning at 10:00am.
If you have any questions, please email me at choirdirector@stmarysoca.org and I will try to answer them.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Arrangements for Jim Brinda's Funeral
ALL IS AT THE CATHEDRAL!
Sunday, March 21, visitation 5-8 PM, Parastas at 7 PM
Monday, March 22, visitation 9 AM, Funeral at 10 AM
Burial at St. Mary's
Luncheon to follow at Parish Center
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Funerals
May God grant rest to His newly departed handmaiden, Ellen Paluch, who fell asleep in the Lord, March 17.
Funeral arrangements are with Kozlak-Radulovich Funeral Chapel.
Friday, March 19, visitation at K-R, 4-7:00 PM with Parastas at 4:30 PM
Saturday, March 20, visitation at Cathedral at 1 PM and Funeral at 2 PM.
May God grant rest to His newly departed servant, James Brinda, who fell asleep in the Lord, March 17.
Funeral arrangements are with Kozlak-Radulovich Funeral Chapel. No other information is known at this time.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Online Virtual Keyboard
If you don't have a piano at home to play the music on, you can access a "virtual" keyboard at this site: http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/music/piano/index.htm
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Annunciation Magnification
Are there any men out there who will be at Matins on Wednesday evening (March 24) and would like to sing the Magnficiation? It would be good to practice beforehand...
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Choir Rehearsal (March 10th)
At choir rehearsal last night, we went over the following music:
Troparia and Kontakia - breathing
Trisagion - pace
Explained “Alleluia…” sequence
Practiced "We Have No Help..." (Ledkovsky)
“O Victorious Leader…” (Allemanov) - must go briskly
Paschal Nocturnes – dynamic, pace, enunciation, pitch
- after Kontakion – “This is the most blessed Sabbath…”
- “Do not lament me…”
- “Thy Resurrection, O Christ our Savior…”
Procession… “Thy Resurrection…” Clergy – XC thrice, we repeat thrice
“Let God Arise…” XC is repeated
Paschal Canon…Don’t hold half notes too long – music as guide and not rule
Praises
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Presanctified Liturgy texts (Week of the Cross)
1) "Lord, I Call..." verses for Presanctified Liturgy (Wednesday, March 10):
2) "Lord, I Call..." verses for Presanctified Liturgy (Friday, March 12): http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AYqfpQvrFcBGZGdycjlta2NfOGhxc3Izejht&hl=en
Friday, March 5, 2010
Communion Hymn for Sunday of the Cross
After "Praise the Lord from the Heavens...," we will sing version #2 of "The light of Thy countenance..." It would be a good idea to review at home before Sunday. Here is a link to the music: http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B4qfpQvrFcBGMmE5MzhiYjctMDRmZi00NDViLTgxODAtNTE4ZjVjZmE4ZDRm&hl=en
Here is a link to the "O Victorious Leader" we practiced on Wednesday: http://stephenhowanetz.tripod.com/PDF%20FILES/Vigil%20Mixed%20PDF/O%20Victorious%20Leader.pdf
Here is a link to the "O Victorious Leader" we practiced on Wednesday: http://stephenhowanetz.tripod.com/PDF%20FILES/Vigil%20Mixed%20PDF/O%20Victorious%20Leader.pdf
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Singing Opportunity
I have been asked by Fr. Thaddeus Wojcik to lead a group of singers for Paschal Vespers at St. Thomas University in St. Paul. The dates are April 7 at 10:55am and April 9 at 1:35pm. If you are interested, please contact me at choirdirector@stmarysoca.org. I am particularly looking for younger, college-aged people, but anyone is welcome to come.
Choir Meeting on March 10th
At the last rehearsal, it was decided to postpone the monthly Choir meeting until after Pascha. So there will be no meeting on March 10th.
Vespers text for Sunday of the Cross
SUNDAY, MARCH 7 TONE 6
Third Sunday of Lent: Veneration of the Holy Cross
T6 We will always bless the Lord * by singing of His Resurrection! * for He endured the Cross,//trampling down death by death.
Glory to Thy might, O Lord, * for Thou didst overthrow the prince of death! * By Thy Cross Thou hast renewed us,//granting us life and incorruption.
T5 Shine, O Cross of the Lord! * Illumine the hearts of those who honor you! * With love inspired by God, we embrace you, * for you are the only hope of the world. * Through you our tears are wiped away, * the snares of death are sprung, * and we pass over into everlasting joy. * Through the Cross reveal Thy beauty to us, O Lord! * Help Thy servants who ask for mercy in faith!//Bestow upon us the fruits of abstinence!
Hail, O life-bearing Cross: * bright paradise of the Church, the tree of incorruption! * You have obtained for us the joy of everlasting glory. * Through you, the hosts of demons are driven out; * the choirs of Angels are amazed and rejoice; * the company of the faithful gathers in celebration. *O unconquerable weapon, unbroken stronghold, * triumph of Orthodox Christians and pride of priests,//by following you may we witness the Passion and Resurrection of Christ our God!
Hail, O life-bearing Cross: * the invincible weapon of godliness, * the gate of
Glory…T3 Wishing to restore all men to life, * Thou didst accept crucifixion, O Christ our God. * Burning with boundless love for man, * Thou didst take the quill of the Cross in Thy hand; * dipping it in ink of royal crimson, * Thou didst sign our release with blood-stained fingers. * Though temptations assault us, * may we never forsake Thee again! * Have mercy on Thy despairing people, * O long-suffering Master!//Arise and fight Thy enemies in Thy almighty power!
Now and ever…T6 Who will not bless you, O most holy Virgin? * Who will not sing of your most pure childbearing? * The only-begotten Son shone timelessly from the Father, * but from you He was ineffably incarnate. * God by nature, He became Man for our sake, * not divided into two persons but manifest as One in two natures. * Entreat Him, O pure and all-blessed Lady,//to have mercy on our souls!
Glory…Now and ever…T4 The humble David * defeated his enemies by Thy help, O Lord. * Now come to the aid of Thy Orthodox people; * show us Thy power as Thou didst of old, * and our adversaries will know that Thou art God! * And we will be victorious, for we hope in Thee. * Through the constant intercessions of Thy all-pure Mother,//grant us Thy great mercy!
Troparion – Resurrection T6, then…
Glory…T1 O Lord, save Thy people, * and bless Thine inheritance! * Grant victories to the Orthodox Christians * over their adversaries; * and by virtue of Thy Cross,//preserve Thy habitation!
Now and ever…T1 When Gabriel announced to you, O Virgin, saying “Rejoice!” * with that word the Master of all was incarnate in ^you, * the holy Ark, spoken of by the righteous David! * Your womb became more spacious than the heavens, * for you carried your Creator. * Glory to Him Who took abode in you! * Glory to Him Who came ^forth from you! * Glory to Him Who freed us by being born of you!
Choir Rehearsal (March 3rd)
Today at rehearsal we went over the following music:
1) Troparion and Kontakion for Sunday of the Cross (i.e. "O Lord Save Thy People..." etc.): keep brisk pace
2) Trisagion - "Before Thy Cross..": English-Slavonic-English; note - we say "buh-fore" not "bee-fore"
3) Prokeimenon for Sunday of the Cross: keep pitch up, slower last time
4) Alleluia, Moscow Chant: "Allelu-i-a" not "Allelu-i-ya"
5) Cherubic Hymn, Lvovsky: enunciation
6) Anaphora (Feofanskoy), Hymn to the Theotokos "All of Creation..." - pace, we tend to plod
7) Communion Hymn "The light of Thy countenance... Alleluia" (Carpatho-Russian chant): a new setting
8) Clergy Communion - "Before Thy Cross" (Honcharov)... basses need to keep pitch up, emphasize dynamics, "buh-fore", not too slowly
9) Blue book - Theotokos #3 (We have no hope...): we began to re-familiarize ourselves with this hymn
10) "Come you faithful" - Stikhera for the Cross: sing briskly and enunciate
11) Kontakion of Annunciation "O Victorious Leader" (Allemanov)
12) Antiphons at Pre-Sanctified Liturgy: do not hold Choir A part too long, enunciate
13) "Now the Powers" - Lvovsky: emphasize the "k" in "king", "gl" ->"kl"
14) "O Taste and See" - Kievan Chant: basses need to keep initial pitch up
Following rehearsal, the men practiced for the Canon of Holy Friday Matins.
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