Glory to Jesus Christ!
Chant harmonization workshop
The workshop on plain chant harmonization has been rescheduled to June 8, so as not to conflict with an event in the Eparchy of Parma on May 11.
This one-day class will provide:
- An introductory tutorial on harmonization "by ear" of Carpathian plain chant (prostopinije)
- A history of choral singing in our parishes
- Discussion of how choirs and harmonized plain chant can contribute to congregational singing, and how to avoid conflicts
- Information about what plain chant and choral music is available, and the opportunity to contribute to planning for future MCI publications
The course will take place from 9 AM to 3 PM on June 8, at the Byzantine Catholc Seminary in Pittsburgh. Cost for the day, including lunch and materials, is $20.00; the workshop is free for those registered for the 2012-2013 Cantor Institute. Course instructors will include Jeff Mierzejewski of Pittsburgh and Nicholas Nagrant of Detroit.
If you plan to attend, please register by June 1 by calling Jeff Mierzejewski at (412) 735-1676, or sending e-mail to Plainchanter@gmail.com.
Cantor's Retreat
Unfortunately, we were unable to hold a Cantors' Day of Recollection this year, and so we are providing here the talks from last year's retreat, which was given at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall, PA.
- 2012 Cantor's Retreat - morning session (40 minutes)
- 2012 Cantor's Retreat - afternoon session (45 minutes)
Both talks about by Fr. David Mastroberte, a priest of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese.
Mailing lists
A number of electronic mailing lists are available for Byzantine Catholic cantors and those interested in church music. Click on the name of the group to sign up.
| mcinews | Announcements of cantor education opportunities in the Byzantine Catholic Church |
| mcicantors | Open discussion list for cantors to discuss Byzantine liturgy, plain chant, and congregational leadership. |
| mcichoral | Open discussion list for choir directors, choir members, and those interested in choral music |
| mcimusicfiles | Monthly distribution of sheet music from the Metropolitan Cantor Institute |
These lists will eventually replace the under-used Forum on this website. Each list is archived, so older posts can be viewed and searched. Please sign up for the lists of interest to you!
In-parish coaching and feedback
One real need that many new cantors experience - especially for those who are not fortunate enough to be working directly with an experienced cantor as mentor - is constructive feedback. This year, we will be investigating possibilities for what professional singers call "process coaching", in which an MCI instructor will come to the parish of a student entolled in the Basic Cantor's Class or Cantor School program, attend and record a service, and provide feedback and guidance for improvement. Details will be announced at a future date.
New downloadable materials
Metropolitan William has also asked the MCI invest more time and energy in downloadable service books and instructional materials, particularly for new environments such as smart phones and tablet computers. For example, we might package music for individual feasts as downloaded "albums" in MP3 format, and provide chant and liturgy tutorials as podcasts. If you have suggestions, now is a good time to make them!
Looking for Local Recordings of Prostopinije!
We would like to expand our archival collection of recorded prostopinije, old and new, in order to provide a record of prostopinije use in Europe and in the New World, to prevent any further loss of melodies, and to support the process of setting texts in English to the Church's plainchant.
Parishes or individuals with recorded prostopinije who are willing to grant non-exclusive webcast rights to the Metropolitan Cantor Institute are asked to contact the webmaster, Jeff Mierzejewski, at Plainchanter@gmail.com. Along with the recordings themselves, please provide a description of where and when they were recorded, and the names of the cantor(s) if known.