MCI Summer Cantor School
This year, the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh will hold its second annual summer music program for cantors. It will take place on July 23-27 at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA., and consist of two separate 3-day workshops:
Quick Start for New Cantors (July 23-25, Monday to Wednesday)
This course teaches the most basic elements of plain chant (the fundamentals of singing, basic musical notation, and how to lead the singing of responses in church) and the fundamentals of the cantor's vocation; it covers the same material as the Introduction to Church Singing class offered online, but allows for in-person coaching and vocal instruction. Anyone wishing to become a cantor or church reader is encouraged to attend.
Master Class for Current Cantors (July 25-27, Wednesday to Friday)
This course will give more experienced cantors an opportunity to improve their singing and leadership skills, receive professional vocal instruction, and learn several specific topics (the singing of hierarchical services, reader services, and Typika). Cantors of any level of experience are welcome, but should have a BASIC ability to read plain chant, or have taken the Introduction to Church Singing class.
Tuition for either course is $200, and includes instruction, vocal classes, materials, and meals. Single rooms are available at the seminary for tudents coming from outside (separate floors for men and women).
See the registation form for more details. We hope as many cantors and prospective cantors as possible take advantage of this opportunity. Registration closes on Wednesday, July 18 (extended from the original deadline of July 15).
Cantors Invited to Uniontown Pilgrimage
It is now almost summer and arrangements are well underway for the 84th Annual Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Perpetual Help at Mount Saint Macrina in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The Pilgrimage will take place beginning Friday, August 31, 2018 through and including Monday, September 3, 2018. All cantors are once again cordially invited to be a part of this special event in the life of the Byzantine Catholic Church.
Cantors interested in singing are asked to to complete the Online Cantor Participation Form located on the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh’s website:
http://www.archpitt.org/84th-annual-pilgrimage-shrine-lady-perpetual-help/
Please complete the Online Form and submit your response by Friday, July 20, 2018.
New Mailing List for Cantors
We are migrating the old MCI mailing lists to single list, cantors@groups.io. This new list should be more reliable than the one we have been using, and does NOT require the creation of a Yahoo ID. It also has more options for collaboration, including a wiki and post tagging.
This list will be used for both announcements, and general (moderated) discussion. If you wish to receive email ONLY for announcements, you can set your subscription options to "Special Notices Only."
To subscribe to the list, just go to https://groups.io/g/cantors
New smartphone apps have daily readings, resources, and texts for Vespers and Hours
The Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma (Ohio) recently released a smartphone app for Apple iOS and Android that includes:
- daily epistle and Gospel readings according to the Byzantine lectionary used in our church
- a short biography of the daily saint(s) on our calendar, together with their troparion and kontakion
- news, videos, and other resources
Eastern Christian Publications also has a free Byzantine prayer app for Apple and Android devices, with:
- The Daily Office and Daily Vespers with changeable texts
- Theosis ezine and weekly Sunday Bulletin covers
- Other daily spiritual reflections plus Saint-of-the-Day icon
Search for "Eparchy of Parma" and "ECPubs" in the Apple Store or on Google Play. Both are highly recommended.
Online musicianship for cantors
In preparation for our online classes, which begin in February, the Metropolitan Cantor Institute has acquired a site license for Theta Music Trainer, a website with computer- and smartphone-based games that teach pitch matching, recognition and singing of scales and intervals, and other important skills.
Complete access to this website is available to all cantors in the Byzantine Catholic Church, as well as students in the MCI Online program. For more information, see the Theta Music Trainer page.
There is also a new section in the left-hand navigation bar, Musicianship, to which articles will be added over the next two months.
Documenting the history of our church music - how you can help
The Metropolitan Cantor Institute is working with the Byzantine Catholic Seminary Library to put together material to document the history of the liturgical music of the Byzantine Catholic Church, both plain chant and choral music. Please consider contributing to these two efforts:
In early 2018, we will also be distributing images of particular pieces of music or other memorabilia we would like to find or identify.
What is the Metropolitan Cantor Institute?
The Metropolitan Cantor Institute exists to support and foster liturgical singing in the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh. At the direction of our bishops, and in cooperation with our clergy and experienced cantors, the Institute trains and certifies cantors for the service of the church, prepares music and educational materials, and provides workshops and seminars in church singing.
The mission of the Metropolitan Cantor Institute:
To ensure that each parish in the Byzantine Catholic Church has a cantor who can lead the liturgical singing of the parish well, to the glory of God and in support of the prayer of the faithful.
For more information, click on Cantor Institute in the left-hand navigation bar on this page.