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Cantor Institute > Resources for students

Resources for Year 1: The Divine Liturgy

The first portion of the Metropolitan Cantor Institute program is offered every year. It is designed to prepare new cantors to lead the singing at the Divine Liturgy on "ordinary" Sundays and weekdays.

The primary text for the year is the 2006 hardbound liturgy book, The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great. We strongly recommend that students also acquire a copy of The Cantor's Companion, and consider purchasing the seven-CD set of recorded music for this book. All these materials can be purchased from the Byzantine Seminary Press. The Press is usually open for business on either the first or second MCI session in the Fall.

These materials are also available through this website, on the Publications and Recorded Music pages.

The First Session

The first MCI session, usually held in September, covers the basics:

• The role of the cantor
• The basics of singing and musical notation
  
• The fundamental responses of the Divine Liturgy

The day will begin with the Divine Liturgy, celebrated in the seminary chapel, and will include lectures, voice class, and chant repertory classes. You will receive several handouts in the course of the day. If you lose any of yours, all class handouts can be found on the Handouts page.

The first session will have a LOT of material, expecially for new cantors. Between the first two sessions, PAY ATTENTION to the liturgy in your own parish church; review the handouts, especially the diatonic scale and the common key signatures. Practice singing with what you learned in voice class.

The Second Session

At the second session, which will usually be in October, we begin the process of learning the Divine Liturgy from beginning to end. This session covers the Enarxis (entrance rites) and the readings.

You will also begin learning the melodies in the Eight Tones, for troparia, kontakia, and prokeimena, starting with the easiest of each group of melodies.

Remember the procedure when singing ANY melody: use the key signature to find do; choose a comfortable starting pitch; sing a major triad (do mi so mi do SO do) to establish the key; find your starting pitch for the melody; and begin.

Homework: PRACTICE singing through the first part of the liturgy by yourself; use the CD's or online music on this website to help. Pay attention to both what is familiar, and what is new to you.

Also, sing through more examples of the tones you learned this session:

Tone 4 prokeimenon - Tone 8 Prokeimeon - Tone 4 Troparion - Tone 4 Kontakion - Tone 7 Troparion (and kontakion)

The Third Session

The third session (in November) continues the study of the Divine Liturgy. During this session, we cover the Anaphora - the great Eucharistic prayer at the heart of the Divine Liturgy. Chant repertory includes new troparion, kontakion, and prokeimenon melodies - ones a little harder than last time.

You will also begin learning how to read the Typikon, the book which explains the variable parts of the liturgy for each day. The Typikon used in our church is printed annually by Eastern Christian Publications, and we will provide ordering information for anyone who wishes to acquire a copy.

Homework: PRACTICE singing through pages 42-63 of the Divine Liturgies book; use the CD's or online music on this website to help you learn all the melodies. Pay attention to both what is familiar, and what is new to you.

Sing through more examples of the tones you learned this session:

Tone 2 prokeimenon - Tone 3 Prokeimeon - Tone 5 Troparion (and kontakion) - Tone 6 Troparion - Tone 6 Kontakion

The Fourth Session

Due to our history of weather in the Pittsburgh area, we usually hold the next class in February. At this session, we conclude our study of the Divine Liturgy by covering the pre-Communion and Communion rites. You will learn some of the more difficult troparia, kontakia, and prokeimena. Remember to review the handouts for each.

Homework: PRACTICE singing through pages 63-93 of the Divine Liturgies book; use the CD's or online music on this website to help you learn all the melodies. Pay attention to both what is familiar, and what is new to you. Also work on learning at least one set of the Basil melodies on pages 96-103.

Sing through more examples of the tones you learned this session:

Tone 5 prokeimenon - Tone 6 Prokeimeon - Tone 2 Troparion (and kontakion) - Tone 8 Troparion - Tone 8 Kontakion

The Fifth Session

The fifth and final session, in February, will begin with a Divine Liturgy in the seminary chapel, to help you integrate what you've learned in the course of the year. During class, we will cover the most challenging troparia, kontakia, and prokeimena, and the Basil anaphora melodies, and talk about how to learn and introduce new music in your parish. If time permits, we will also discuss the use of paraliturgical hymns (such as Marian hymns) in church.

There will be a short written and oral examination given at the end of the year; we will tell you well in advance what to expect. Completion of the coursework and the exam will allow you (if you wish) to continue in the program. If you need additional work on some subject before continuing, you can discuss that with the MCI instructors.