The International Society for Orthodox Church Music (ISOCM) held its second North American Pan-Orthodox Music Symposium from June 20 to 24, 2018. This biannual meeting complements the international meetings taking place regularly in Joensuu, Finland, and offers a diverse array of scholarly papers and practical workshops for active choir directors, chanters, and musicians in Orthodox parishes in North America and across the globe.
This year’s symposium, held at St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral in Minneapolis, MN, addressed the theme “Ancient and Modern Creativity.” His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon delivered his own remarks on the symposium theme and officiated at Vigil and Divine Liturgy, both of which were sung splendidly in diverse chant traditions by a choir of symposium participants.
Past conferences of the ISOCM were attended by St. Vladimir’s Seminary (SVOTS) faculty Dn. Evan Freeman (Lecturer in Liturgical Art) and Robin Freeman (Director of Music). This year, Dr. Peter Bouteneff (Professor of Systematic Theology, Director of the Sacred Arts Initiative) participated in a panel discussion together with a group that also included Harrison Russin (Lecturer in Liturgical Music). Mr. Russin also delivered a paper on “Organs in Orthodox Worship: Debate and Identity.” Other SVOTS alumni present at the meeting included Fr. Silouan Rolando, Michelle Jannakos, Kevin Fritts, Vera Proctor, Fr. Nick Ceko, Dn. Gregory Ealy, Fr. John Schroedel, and Adn. Joseph Matusiak.
