From Sunday the 16th to Saturday the 29th of July, the Synodal School of Liturgical Music (SSLM) held its 32nd annual summer session in the refurbished rooms and halls of the former Old Persons’ Home at Holy Dormition Convent "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY.

Students from across the United States and across the pond in the UK converged at Novo-Diveevo to work in service of their commitment to learning the tradition of Russian Orthodox choral music. Since the move to the convent in 2021, the program (which previously for 29 years took place at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY) now offers the unique opportunity for students to conduct and sing services in both Slavonic and English as practicum under faculty supervision.

The intensive two-week coursework also included Liturgical Performance Practice (Very Rev. Andre Papkov, Alexei Viktorovich Shipovalnikov, Peter Fekula, Dr. Irina du Quenoy), Typicon (Dr. Aleksandr Andreev), Church Slavonic for both Russian and English speakers (Matushka Elena Perekrestov and Elizabeth Purdy), Vocal Pedagogy and voice lessons (Laryssa Doohovskoy), Musicianship and Music Theory (Dr. Kurt Sander and Valentina Shatalova), Church Music History (Matushka Elena Perekrestov), and Choral Methods and Conducting (Peter Fekula and Anastasia Kappanadze).

Choir class was divided into sections of student-led rehearsals in preparation for the final choral conducting exam and faculty-led rehearsals of traditional repertoire with workshops, including an in-depth focus on the unique aspects of the eight-tones system. Learning how to harmonize these melodies and sing from text is truly one of the fundamental skills necessary for an Orthodox conductor and singer.

This year, Reader Peter Loban was awarded a certificate for completing the three years of study and coursework necessary to qualify as a Reader/Precentor (Psalomschik). On the final day of the session, Peter, as well as second-year students Alexey Campbell, Morgan Maudiere, and Matushka Eugenia Podymow (née Schatoff) conducted the student choir in the convent’s main St. Seraphim Cathedral in a demonstration of their work.

Additionally, this year marked the post-COVID return of two SSLM traditions: the picnic and a student/faculty concert. The picnic, traditionally planned by the second-year students and held on the middle Sunday of the session, was a wonderful bonding experience for the students and offered a bit of a respite between the two difficult weeks of study.

On Wednesday, July 26, the school held a concert dedicated to the memory of former SSLM faculty Irina Mozyleva. Many remember the dynamic energy that Irina brought to this event, which this year was well-attended by people from in and around the Novo-Diveevo community. Both faculty and students presented an eclectic performance covering everything from sacred music to jazz and involving both vocal music and instrumental pieces (piano, guitar, and even trombone). A lively reception followed, allowing for the community to meet the students and faculty and to learn more about the school’s work.

The highlight of the two-week session were two visits by Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York. For the feast of the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles Olga, His Eminence celebrated a hierarchal Divine Liturgy, during which a choir consisting of almost all the faculty and students sang, under the direction of Peter Fekula. Metropolitan Nicholas was also present for the final day, where he oversaw the conducting of exams, and awarded Reader Peter his certificate after a thanksgiving moleben. On both occasions, Metropolitan Nicholas expressed his support of the school and its ongoing mission to preserve the unique and wonderful traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church.

More information regarding the Synodal School of Liturgical Music, its program and history, may be found at the school’s website: www.synodalschool.com.

The school was greatly helped this year in being able to carry out its activities by the generous support of the Fund for Assistance to ROCOR, which specifically helped cover the costs of accommodating faculty at a local hotel due to space constraints at Novo-Diveevo. The organizers, singers and all participants of the conference, and the members of the Synodal School are very grateful to the donors of the Fund for Assistance. Without this help, the work of the School would be much more difficult to accomplish. Thank you for your support!

Valentina Shatalova