A Sacrifice of Praise

Amy and Richard visit with Patrick Haddad of St. Nicholas Antiochian Cathedral in Los Angeles and George Zain of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Brooklyn, founding members of the Byzantine choir The Sons of Antioch. Patrick and George talk about the choir’s origins and mission as an ensemble, the group’s liturgical and concert-related activities, their own education as cantors, and the guiding collaborative spirit of The Sons of Antioch. The Sons of Antioch website: www.sonsofantioch.us Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SonsofAntioch A Divine Presence (December 2024 concert): https://www.patreon.com/posts/divine-presence-119405469?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SonsOfAntioch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonsofantioch/

Amy and Richard talk to Christian Farradj, the host of Ancient Faith’s new Byzantine chant series on Ancient Faith Kids. Christian shares about his journey making the leap from altar to analogion in his youth, and the opportunities and challenges of learning Byzantine music in a time when there are more resources and interest than ever before. As a special bonus, Christian’s heretofore unknown family connection with one of the hosts is also revealed! A Joyful Noise on Ancient Faith Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DnLPPx1wZo&t=321s

Amy and Richard talk to Christina Stravros Kidonakis, the Protopsaltria at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Joliet, Illinois. Christina was a pioneer for the Byzantine Chant Certificate Program at Hellenic College Holy Cross School of Theology and is the coordinator of the Synaxis of Orthodox Women Byzantine Cantors, an annual educational event in Chicago for women who are active in Byzantine music. You can find out more about the Synaxis of Orthodox Women Byzantine Cantors on the St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church website.

Amy and Richard welcome back John Michael Boyer to talk about his new textbook for Byzantine music aimed specifically at English language readers. They have a conversation about the book's beginnings, John's nearly two decades long writing process, what it offers cantors, and how the chant landscape has changed in North America since he first had the idea for the book. Show notes: John Michael Boyer, Saint John Koukouzelis Institute of Liturgical Arts, koukouzelis.net Byzantine Chant: The Received Tradition - A Lesson Book, ByzChantLessonBook.com Book launch at Maliotis Cultural Center, https://maliotis.hchc.edu/index.php/event/byzantine-chant-the-received-tradition-with-john-michael-boyer/ Cappella Romana Publishing, cappellaromana.org Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, New Orleans, LA, holytrinitycathedral.org

Demetrios Katsiklis is the newly-appointed Master Chanter of the newly-reopened St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at Ground Zero. In this episode he talks to Amy and Richard about his upbringing in Greece, his chanting education, the challenges and opportunities of daily worship at one of the most visible Orthodox churches in the United States, and the intentionality of establishing St. Nicholas as a bilingual (Greek/English) worshipping community.

Amy and Richard chat with the composers of Heaven and Earth, Cappella Romana's latest CD release, about the influence of Byzantine chant on this unique collaborative work. Heaven and Earth by Cappella Romana, recording release, October 14 2022 Heaven and Earth, concerts in Seattle and Portland, October 14-16 2022 Heaven and Earth: A Song of Creation performing edition, complete and individual movements, Musica Russica Background on Heaven and Earth: A Song of Creation CERN’s Higgs boson discovery Archimandrite +Ephrem (Lash) - Fr. Ephrem’s translation of Ps103, from draft to final Tikey Zes - The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom CD release - Tikey Zes: Choral Works CD release +Richard Toensing - Kontakion on the Nativity of Christ with new Orthodox Christmas Carols CD release Kurt Sander - The Divine Liturgy CD release Alexander Khalil - The Science Network interview John Michael Boyer - The Divine Liturgy in English CD release Matthew Arndt - Interview with Society of St. Romanos the Melodist

In this episode Amy and Richard discuss the 4th Mode Resurrectional Apolytikion. You can find the score and recordings of the hymn on paralaggi and melos in the show notes, as well as a scale chart for reference. 4th Mode Resurrection Apolytikion in Byzantine notation, by Papa Ephraim 4th Mode Resurrection Apolytikion in Western notation, by Papa Ephraim Parallagi Recording, Amy Hogg Melos Recording, Amy Hogg Parallagi Recording, Richard Barrett Melos Recording, Richard Barrett Scales Chart (B & W): https://trisagion-school.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/2021/01/Trisagion-School-Scale-Chart-B-and-W.pdf Scales Chart (Color): https://trisagion-school.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/2021/01/Trisagion-School-Scale-Chart-Color.pdf Recordings of the 4th Mode Resurrectional Apolytikion in Greek: The Choir of Theodore Vasilikos Thrasyvoulos Stanitsas Pan Hellenic League of Sacred Cantors

Amy and Richard talk to Brown University’s Susan Ashbrook Harvey about her work, including liturgical aesthetics in late antiquity, and how St. Ephraim the Syrian’s choirs of women in fourth century Edessa might be helpful models for us today. Show Notes: Extract from Jacob of Serug’s Homily on St. Ephraim the Syrian [Hyperlink to the pdf which is attached to the email] More of Susan Ashbrook Harvey’s Work: Music as Liturgy: Models from Ancient Syriac Christianity: ISOCM Presentation ISOCM Publication Performance as Exegesis: Women’s Liturgical Choirs in Syriac Tradition On Mary’s Voice: Gendered Words in Syriac Marian Tradition Singing Women’s Stories in Syriac Tradition Revisiting the Daughters of the Covenant: Women’s Choirs and Sacred Song in Ancient Syriac Christianity Modern Syrian Women’s Choirs: Syriac Choir of Nouri Iskandar, Aleppo Choir of St. Petrus, Stockholm Syriac Music Institute

In this episode Amy and Richard discuss the 3rd Mode Resurrectional Apolytikion. You can find the score and recordings of the hymn on paralaggi and melos in the show notes, as well as a scale chart for reference. 3rd Mode Resurrectional Apolytikion - Looped Recording 3rd Mode Resurrection Apolytikion in Byzantine notation, by Papa Ephraim 3rd Mode Resurrection Apolytikion in Western notation, by Papa Ephraim Scales Chart (B & W) Scales Chart (Color)

Richard and Amy discuss some of the spiritual, mental, and physical disciplines that they have found helpful in overcoming chanting related nervousness and anxiety. Amy explains what happens in the voice box during strong emotions, why this can negatively impact our ability to chant, and then models some exercises showing how to identify and learn to control the muscles involved.