Sing to the Lord a New Song: American Orthodox Music

St Vladimir’s Seminary announces the 2023 Summer Music Institute, “Sing to the Lord a New Song: American Orthodox Music,” taking place on June 20–24. The focus of this year’s Institute is on the living practice of creative music-making and composition within the Orthodox liturgical tradition in North America. 

Participants will: 

• Explore what it means to be striving for an American Orthodox musical tradition
• Hear from and engage with our keynote speakers—acclaimed choral composers and writers working in this field
• Hone their skills in musicianship and ear training coaching sessions
• Rehearse and sing Benedict Sheehan’s Liturgy No. 2: The St. Michael’s Service, a new work composed expressly for skilled, non-professional church choirs
• Be invited to submit compositions to be sung in a Contemporary Composer’s Reading Session, and receive feedback from faculty composers as well as institute instructors (optional)
• Select the option to participate in a two-day private and small group coaching intensive in either conducting, composing & arranging, or vocal technique

Learn More

Our keynote presentations will be offered by a diverse group of acclaimed composers who explore different areas of the tradition of Orthodox liturgical music. A highlight of the week will be the hierarchical liturgy in which participants will sing Benedict Sheehan’s Liturgy No. 2: The St. Michael’s Service, commissioned by St Michael’s Orthodox Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

By popular request and feedback from participants, we are pleased to add the Pre-Institute Intensive for two days before the Institute begins (June 19-20), as a concentrated immersion into specific areas of liturgical musical study. These two days are a chance to receive one-on-one and small group coaching in an intimate setting with world-class faculty, including Benedict Sheehan, Talia Sheehan, Juliana Woodill, and Harrison Russin.

The full Summer Music Institute will begin in the evening of Tuesday, June 20, and conclude on Saturday, June 24. Instruction at the Institute will focus on general musicianship skills, with tracks being offered for musicians of all skill levels. 

This year's Institute will run concurrently with the Diaconal Vocations Program of the OCA; daily services will be celebrated by students in the DVP and chanted by the students of the Music Institute.

Registration is closed.