It's been quite a while since anything has been posted here, but I think it's good for many different reasons to start blogging again.
As in the past, I hope that what's blogged here can not only provide information to choir members about upcoming events, but also serve as a platform for distributing music and important details about Sunday liturgies and other important services at St. Mary's.
This coming week's schedule.
- Wednesday, September 12. Choir rehearsal at 7 pm.
- Wednesday, September 12. Choir meeting at 8 pm. This meeting will be important for many reasons: it's our first meeting of the new ecclesiastical new year; we'll discuss important dates in the fall schedule such as 1) Byzantine Festival concert 2) TMORA concert 3) Advent concert; upcoming recording project and repertoire. Concerning the last point, I'm very interested to know what each of you think concerning repertoire.
- Thursday, September 13. Vigil for the Elevation of the Cross at 6:15 pm.
- Friday, September 14. Divine Liturgy for the Elevation of the Cross at 9 am.
- Saturday, September 15. Wedding for Joni Venusek and Andrew Hinton. Meet at 2:45 pm the in loft.
If you weren't at rehearsal last Wednesday, I'm sure you noticed that we sang one new piece (Beatitudes) at liturgy this past Sunday. We also pulled out an oldie but goodie - Blessed be the Name of the Lord composed by Dmitri Bortniansky. At upcoming rehearsals we are going to continue to introduce new pieces as well as reintroduce pieces already in our binders. One of these pieces I'd like to reintroduce is Bortniansky's Cherubikon No. 6. It's a lovely composition that is inspiring and fits the liturgical moment in a way that resonates with St. Mary's Cathedral. Here's a link (of course we will sing it in English, though; the score is copy righted, so it won't be posted).
Since we will be within the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross this Sunday, we will most likely sing the feastal antiphons. Here is music for these.
See you on Wednesday evening.
Deacon Gregory
