The Byzantine Echo July 2013 Serving the Metropolises of Detroit and Pittsburgh

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1 The E-Newsletter of the Mid-Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians July 2013 Our Music Our liturgies, vespers, sacraments, and many other services of our Holy Orthodox Faith are chanted, sung, or intoned rather than spoken. The hymns are not simply songs; they are actually prayers. Music is an integral part of our worship. Therefore, it is imperative that we recruit, encourage, and train people to be the future chanters, choir directors, organists, singers, music arrangers, and teachers of hymnology. Through the Memorial Scholarship Program, the Mid-Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians offers scholarships to those students who will study music or take music lessons. Our fervent hope is that these students will then offer their talents and knowledge to the Church. Memorial Scholarship Program MEFGOX s Memorial Scholarship Program was established in memory of church musicians who have passed away. The Memorial Fund was started with Federation treasury monies that were budgeted each year. An endowment from Charles Michaels, Dayton Ohio, and donations in memory of loved ones from friends, families, and fellow church musicians allowed the Memorial Scholarship Fund to grow and become selfsustaining. Each year at the Annual Convention, we award several scholarships from the Fund to support students wishing to develop their musical talents. May Their Memories Be Eternal A most moving part of each Convention is the way we honor clergy and church musicians of the Detroit and Pittsburgh Metropolises who have fallen asleep. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the clergy offer a Memorial Service, reading over 300 names of blessed memory as we remember and pray for those church musicians who served the Church for many years. Last year, at the Rocky River Convention, a beautiful Koliva was prepared and presented for the service. Anytime you wish to remember a church musician, consider a contribution to the Memorial Scholarship Fund. Send donations Dan Packis, Scholarship Trustee Chairman, 4651 Greenview Ct, Avon, OH Please include the name of the church musician in whose memory the contribution is made. Something New! The Federation will be trying something a little different at the Grand Banquet this year to raise additional funds for the Scholarship Program. After announcing the scholarship winners, we will ask choirs and individuals to present their donations in person to our Trustees. Donations may be made in honor or in memory of someone. In doing so, we hope to generate a little excitement about supporting such a worthy cause! See the form on page 5 and bring it to the Convention Banquet or give it to someone who will be attending to present it for you.

2 Great Workshops Coming Up in Cinci! There will be lots of helpful information at the MEFGOX Church Music Institute being held in conjunction with this year s Convention. We hope you are planning to arrive early enough Thursday to take in all these workshops! Our featured Guest Instructor is Father Stavros Akrotirianakis, parish priest of St. John the Baptist Church in Tampa, FL. He is well-known for offering church musicians excellent food for thought and practical suggestions as he discusses Understanding and Improving the Relationship between Priest and Choir. Another set of workshops will be given by Anna Maria Miller, who is the Choir Director of Holy Trinity Church in Nashville, TN. She is also a high school music educator, well-known in the area for her prize-winning school choirs and singers. She will conduct two workshops, both providing singers and directors with practical tips for singing better --- individually and as an ensemble. A special treat on Friday will be an educational workshop conducted by Metropolitan Nicholas. He will help us understand what s happening behind the altar as we sing, Preparing the Holy Gifts. For those interested in chant, Richard Barrett, a chanter from Holy Apostles Church in Indianapolis and a professional singer and sometime member of Cappella Romana, will enlighten us on Saturday about the Third Mode, which is the mode of the Resurrectional Apolitikion for the Sunday Liturgy, Efrenestho Ta Ourania. For details, check out page 3 of this issue! Convention Updates Less than two weeks to go to enjoy all that the Cincinnati Convention Committee has in store for us! There s still time to register. Check the Convention web page for information: Registration Form Schedule Order Zervos Music Hotel reservations ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As we approach the end of our Federation year, there are still some parishes that have not made their Stewardship contribution: Ann Arbor, MI, St. Nicholas Bethlehem, PA, St. Nicholas Binghamton, NY, Holy Trinity Bloomfield Hills, MI, St. George Canton, OH, St. Haralambos Charlestown, WV, St. John Cleveland, OH, Annunciation Detroit, MI, Annunciation Cathedral Easton, PA, Annunciation Elmira, NY, St. Athanasios Fort Wayne, IN, Holy Trinity Grand Blanc, MI, Assumption Grand Rapids, MI, Holy Trinity Hot Springs, AR, Zoodochos Peghe Lancaster, PA, Annunciation Lansing, MI, Holy Trinity Lorain, OH, St. Nicholas Martins Ferry, OH, Zoodochos Peghe Massillon, OH, St. George Memphis, TN, Annunciation Muskegon, MI, Annunciation Nashville, TN, Holy Trinity Nashville, TN, St. John Mission North Royalton, OH, St. Paul Oakmont, PA, Holy Dormition Pittsburgh, PA, Holy Cross Plymouth, MI, Nativity of the Virgin Mary Reading, PA, SS Constantine & Helen Saginaw, MI, St. Demetrios Stroudsburg, PA, Holy Cross Traverse City, MI, Archangel Gabriel Watertown, NY, St. Vasilios Youngstown, OH, St. Nicholas Please send your check to Federation Treasurer, Peter Vatsures, 68 West Cooke Road, Columbus, OH Your generous support will enable us to carry out our music ministry throughout our two Metropolises, Detroit and Pittsburgh. Your parish benefits because your church musicians can apply for MEFGOX Scholarships, vote on Federation matters, nominate worthy individuals for the Athenagoras Award, and hold office. You also receive the Byzantine ECHO and helpful communications.

3 Some Great Learning Opportunities are in Store for You at the Cincinnati Convention this July! This year s Convention features an expanded format of educational and musical workshops! Plan now to attend, starting at 3:00 pm on Thursday, July 18 th and continuing throughout the weekend. Thursday, July 18 th, 3:00 4:30 pm! Singing Your Best - Vocal Development Tips for Church Musicians Guest Instructor, Anna Maria Miller Holy Trinity, Nashville, TN Sing! Sing! Sing! After Dinner, at 6:45 pm! Understanding and Improving the Relationship Between the Priest and the Choir Special Presentation by Father Stavros Akrotirianakis St. John the Baptist, Tampa FL Friday afternoon, July 19 at 4:00 5:15 pm! Preparing the Holy Gifts with Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit Saturday morning, July 20 th at 10:45 Noon! Singing Your Best Part 2 with Anna Maria Miller Holy Trinity Nashville, TN Understanding Sunday s Third Mode with Richard Barrett, Guest Chanter Holy Apostles, Indianapolis, IN This Church Music Institute is sponsored by the Mid-Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians and the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians with funding from a grant from Leadership 100 to the National Forum

4 The Convention is fast approaching! If you haven t registered yet, please do Only 10 days left! so as soon as possible. Call CHOIR to let the Cincinnati Committee know your registration form is in the mail. CMI Workshop on Vocal Development Father Stavros Akrotirianakis Workshop on Priest and Choir Relationships Welcome Dinner Entertainment & Greek Dancing CMI Workshop with Metropolitan Nicholas: The Holy Gifts Choir Rehearsals Federation Meeting Dinner Karaoke Night! See attached CMI flyer for workshop details. Chant Workshop Vocal Tips Workshop Choir Rehearsals Grand Banquet Hierarchical Divine Liturgy Federation Memorial Service Farewell Luncheon

5 Memorial Scholarship Fund Help support MEFGOX s program to support the education of our church musicians: talented young people going to college to further their knowledge of music; and also, dedicated church musicians desiring to further their education in church music. Please bring your contribution to the Grand Banquet! This year we are trying something new to generate interest in our Scholarship Fund. We are asking those at the Grand Banquet to announce that they are making a donation (no amounts identified) and to bring their checks up to the podium that evening. Individuals can contribute, in person or in absentia. Choirs, parishes, & other organizations can also contribute. Donations can be in honor of or in memory of of someone. Please fill out this form and hand it in with your donation check. Donor s Name: Address: City/State/Zip: Parish/City: This donation to the Scholarship Fund is: In honor of: In memory of: