St. George Cathedral
Celebrating in faith, hope, and love

"I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live"--Pslam 104:33

CATHEDRAL MUSIC MINISTRY

The Cathedral Music Ministry is comprised of dedicated individuals with deep reverence and commitment to the 2,000-year-old Psaltic tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church. We lead the congregation in worship and prayer on Sundays, and other Sacred Services of the ecclesiastical liturgical cycle.

CONTACT INFORMATION

George Dalagelis, Protopsaltis, Dalagelis@gmail.com

MISSION AND ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

The Cathedral Music Ministry is dedicated to continuing the traditional blessed Psaltic Art, also known as the Byzantine Chant, that is unique to Orthodoxy and an integral part of worship in the Orthodox Church. We are a part of a national movement to preserve and cultivate Byzantine music in the United States. Our challenge is to render our hymns, in Greek or English, depending on the occasion, without losing the spiritually poetic essence of the original Greek. We follow the Typicon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the Order of Services, and since we are blessed to have a musicophile priest, Fr. Nektarios, we follow the Octoechos (Eight Mode Cycle) for the Sunday Liturgy music.

For the Greek hymns, we use the classic melodies of the received tradition, as it is practiced in the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the Monasteries of Mount Athos. For the English hymns, we use the translations and melodies of St. Antony’s Monastery in Arizona (Papa Ephraim), and St. Gregory Palamas’ Monastery in Ohio (Papa Seraphim).

PARTICIPATION INFORMATION

We are always in need of more voices! Men, women, and especially teenagers are welcome! If God has blessed you with the gift of singing, would you consider giving a part of that gift back to God? We chant in Greek and English, and English phonetics are available for those who cannot read Greek. We use Psaltic (Byzantine) notation for most of the hymns; we chant from text (memory) some of the simple well-known responses (Amen, Kyrie eleison etc), and some hymns we chant from western notation. The ability to sight-read music, although helpful, is not a prerequisite. However, a pleasant voice and a willingness to learn are important.

Chanting the Orthodox hymns as a choir member is an uplifting spiritual experience. If the Holy Spirit is moving you to become involved in this ministry of your Church, please proceed to the contact information above.

Orthros starts at 8:45 every Sunday and Holyday, and Divine Liturgy at approximately 10:00 am. Ideally, all choir members should be at the Analogio at the start of Orthros, or the latest (given the driving distances), at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy. We rehearse at times after the Divine Liturgy, or on Monday evenings.

ORTHODOX LITURGICAL MUSIC SITES

Listen to "Agios o Theos..." from the Patriarchate

Analogion

Ieropsaltis

St. Anthony's Monastery in Arizona

Musicophile Society of Constantinople

Capella Romana

Liturgia.com

Orthodox Christian Network

Learn Byzantine Chant



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