Sacred Music Choir Workshops
16 November 2011
Choir members of Midwest churches came together last weekend to study voice techniques and Christmas music in preparation for Armenian Christmas on January 6.
The regional workshops were organized by the area clergy and choirs, and sponsored by the Sacred Music Council. They were led by Deacon Rubik Mailian, chair of the Sacred Music Council and the music director at St. John Church of Greater Detroit.
On Friday evening, November 11, junior choir members met at St. George Church in Waukegan, Ill., to study voice and to improve their singing of the Divine Liturgy. Deacon Mailian gave a practical tutorial on singing the hymns of the badarak, and offered vocal and breathing exercises to assist the young voices.
The next morning, choir members from Chicago, Evanston, Palos Heights and Waukegan gathered at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Chicago to renew their spirit of singing and studying Armenian Christmas songs.
After an introduction by the Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian, pastor of St. Gregory Church, Deacon Mailian started the workshop with a vocal warm up. He then introduced the Christmas songs one by one, emphasizing the diction, meaning and theological significance, the history of the songs, and their phrasing and rhythmical articulation.
In the afternoon, the workshop continued at St. Mesrob Church in Racine, Wis. After welcoming remarks by the Rev. Fr. Yeprem Kelegian, parish pastor, the choir members reviewed the Christmas songs, the tapor, the jhamamood, the jashoo sharagan, and the Blessing of the Water service songs with phrasing, tempo, and dynamics offered by Deacon Mailian.
Deacon Mailian thanked the local pastors for organizing the event. The Sacred Music Council plans to host additional regional workshops in the future.
The regional workshops were organized by the area clergy and choirs, and sponsored by the Sacred Music Council. They were led by Deacon Rubik Mailian, chair of the Sacred Music Council and the music director at St. John Church of Greater Detroit.
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The next morning, choir members from Chicago, Evanston, Palos Heights and Waukegan gathered at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Chicago to renew their spirit of singing and studying Armenian Christmas songs.
After an introduction by the Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian, pastor of St. Gregory Church, Deacon Mailian started the workshop with a vocal warm up. He then introduced the Christmas songs one by one, emphasizing the diction, meaning and theological significance, the history of the songs, and their phrasing and rhythmical articulation.
In the afternoon, the workshop continued at St. Mesrob Church in Racine, Wis. After welcoming remarks by the Rev. Fr. Yeprem Kelegian, parish pastor, the choir members reviewed the Christmas songs, the tapor, the jhamamood, the jashoo sharagan, and the Blessing of the Water service songs with phrasing, tempo, and dynamics offered by Deacon Mailian.
Deacon Mailian thanked the local pastors for organizing the event. The Sacred Music Council plans to host additional regional workshops in the future.
