Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
PAGE 1 The BYZANTINE ECHO - www.mefgox.org September 2012
Thank-You Notes
from Cleveland by Diane Matzorkis
The St. Demetrios Choir of Rocky River, Ohio would like to extend a huge thank-you to all who attended the 65th annual MEFGOX Convention in Cleveland. We had a wonderful turnout and our community is still buzzing about the sound of Sunday’s Liturgy and the Talent Show on Friday night. The convention has motivated our choirs. Fr. James Doukas was so moved by the Desby Doxology that he has asked our choir to sing it every Sunday. We will also hold a Talent Show next July 26th. What a delight it was to have Neal Desby as our guest director. We say to him: Thank you so much for sharing your interpretation of your father’s liturgy. We were so moved, not only by your direction, but by your warmth and friendship. We would like to thank all of the musicians and clergy that led our CMI’s, directed our choirs, accompanied us and gave all in attendance the chance to grow musically, including Metropolitans Savas and Nicholas, Fr. Nicholas Hughes, Gabriela Martinez, Pana Mastros and her accom-panist Nick Bodle, Fr. Dean Dimon and Javier Gonzalez. You all did a great job! We thank MEFGOX and especially our past president, Irene Georgantas, for all of the support that she has shown us throughout our Convention preparation. We have been working hard to get the CD recording and picture out to everyone by October 15th. If anyone still wants to order a CD or an 11 x 7 picture, please send a check (with your current address) made out to St. Demetrios Choir and mail it to Diane Matzorkis, 27445 Pineview Dr., Westlake, OH 44145 as soon as possible. The cost for the CD is $25 and the picture costs $17. We are looking forward to seeing all of you in Cincinnati next year!
A News Publication of the
Mid-Eastern
Federation of
Greek Orthodox
Church Musicians
September 2012 www.mefgox.org
Our National Forum Chairman Our National Forum Chairman Our National Forum Chairman Our National Forum Chairman Bids FarewellBids FarewellBids FarewellBids Farewell
[The following is the address given by National Chairman Vicki Pappas
during the Convention Banquet in Rocky River this past July.]
Your Eminence, Reverend Fathers and Presvyteras, Honored Guests, and Fellow Church Musicians, Brothers and Sisters in Christ. I bring you greetings from the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians and the seven other Church Music Federations that comprise our national network of church musicians. This is a significant evening for me, and for us, for I feel as if we’ve come full circle. Thirty years ago, under the mentorship of our first National Chairman, Niki Kalkanis of blessed memory, I was elected as National Chairman of the National Forum. This Federation was the very first Federation I spoke at as National Chairman. And tonight, you are the last, as I step down from the role I’ve held for so long and join Niki and George Demos of Denver as past National Chairmen of the Forum. Just a few weeks ago at the Clergy-Laity Congress in Phoenix, we elected our fourth National Chairman – Maria Keritsis from Richmond, Va. and the Metropolis of New Jersey Church Music Federation. Maria has a wealth of personal, parish, Federation, and Forum experience. I’m confident she’ll continue programs and activities with the same excellence, service, and productivity as the foundations laid down by Niki, George, and me over the Forum’s 36-year history. For me, it has been an incredible, wonderful journey leading the National Forum. Most important to me is that I came from YOU. It started with Helen Pullman (of blessed memory) and Lou Mastor inviting me to join the Buffalo Choir. We then attended our very first Choir Convention in Rochester in 1966, where Helen pushed George Georgantas into becoming Regional Vice-President and me into becoming Editor of the Byzantine Echo, and soon after, we co-chaired the 1968 Buffalo Choir Convention. A few years later, we joined John Tsolainos, Niki, Peter Vatsures, and Bill Leogas at many meetings with Chicago Federation people, Frank Desby, Anna Gallos, and others to form the leadership group that created the National Forum, culminating in receiving our charter from the Archdiocese under Archbishop Iakovos in 1976. And then in 1982, I was elected as National Chairman. (Continued on page 7)
Dr. Vicki Pappas receives farewell gifts at the MEFGOX Convention.
PAGE 2 The BYZANTINE ECHO - www.mefgox.org September 2012
— A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT —
On coming home from a wonderful Convention at St. Demetrios Parish in Rocky River, Ohio, on July 26-29, 2012. I first wish to express appreciation, on behalf of the Mid-Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians, to Their Eminences, Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit, and Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh. We were blessed to enjoy the presence of both our MEFGOX hierarchs, Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit and Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh. Their commitment to our Federation and to church musicians was palpable during Thursday evening’s CMI workshop, “A Conversation with our Hierarchs.” The celebration of the Divine Liturgy by Metropolitan Savas as chief celebrant, with our 160 voice choir singing the still glorious music of Frank Desby, was an unforgettable experience in our Church lives.
Fr. James Doukas, the St. Demetrios Convention Committee, headed by Dan Packis, Bill and Diane Matzorkis, deserve great praise for hosting and managing a very enriching convention. St. Demetrios Parish hosted the Convention in honor of 100 years of Greek Orthodox Christianity in the Cleveland area. Annunciation Cathedral, hosted a Doxology Service on Friday, July 27, chanted by wonderful youth singers attending the Convention. Fr. Dean Dimon, the pastor of Annunciation, and Pana Mastros, presented
very enlightening Church Music Institute sessions on the Megalinaria of the Liturgy on the same day. At St. Demetrios, Fr. Nicholas Hughes, the primary CMI instructor, conducted two chant sessions on the Grave Mode (Varys), and a general session to increase understanding of the eight modes. Gabriela Martinez presented a delightful singing workshop which improved our use of proper voice support. The Friday Evening Talent Show highlighted many of our young musicians of exceptional talent. We greatly enjoyed having them among us and hope they join us at future Conventions.
My next appreciation goes to Irene Georgantas, my predecessor as Federation President for the past four years. For that time and for many years before, she has served our Church Music in a highly dedicated fashion. She very much deserved the Patriarch Athenagoras Medal for outstanding service with which she was presented at the Saturday evening Banquet. Axia!
MEFGOX has been greatly honored to have had Vicki Pappas as a member and officer for many years. The primary basis of this honor has been her concurrent 30-year service as Chairperson of the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians, the musical arm of our Archdiocese, which she recently concluded. During this time, Vicki has skillfully guided the Forum, and by association, its member Federations, including MEFGOX, into becoming a significant entity in the life of our Church in America. Axia!
We greatly enjoyed and were honored to have Neal Desby direct the Convention Choir in singing the Liturgy of his beloved father. It was a rewarding experience to have a musician of Neal Desby’s talents work with us to present anew the liturgical music many of we “senior” Federation members grew up singing. His accompanist, Javier Gonzalez, the organist of St. Demetrios parish, very ably assisted in the rehearsals and during the Liturgy.
At our next Convention, July 18-21, 2013, we will be in Cincinnati, Ohio, hosted by Holy Trinity-St. Nicholas Parish. There we will sing Chris Zervos’ Second Liturgy setting, directed again by Evey Simon. We hope to see everyone there.
In closing, the Federation Officers are enthusiastically beginning their work for the new ecclesiastical year. In future articles, we will present reports on our efforts in many areas, including seeking to replenish our Church Musician ranks with our youth musicians.
Ted Niforos, MEFGOX President
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT FUTURE EDITIONS OF THE BYZANTINE ECHO…
You are holding in your hands the last print edition of the BYZANTINE ECHO. This past year, the Federation Council voted to send out the ECHO and all our official correspondence via email. There are several advantages in making this change. By modernizing how we communicate with you, we will be able to publish more issues of the ECHO (and at hardly any cost), and the information will be more up-to-date. We will also be able to add more color, more photos (even videos), attachments of music, and other longer articles, and links to web-based articles and pictures. Not only will this save the Federation a great deal of money, but we feel the information we send can be more frequent, more timely, more accurate, and more convenient. We hope you agree! As still another way to keep up with Federation news and updates, you can always check our website (www.mefgox.org) and our
Federation Facebook page (www.facebook.com/MEFGOX). Of course, we realize that some of our members do not have email or access to the website, so we are asking choir directors, priests, other parish church musicians, and/or church secretaries to make arrangements to help those members out by printing out the issues for them and/or posting them on bulletin boards. To help in this transition, please be sure your rosters include legible email addresses. If you send your individual email addresses
to Vicki Pappas at [email protected], she will make sure you get all the information via our MEFGOX email distribution list. We look forward to your comments and suggestions as we move into this new way of doing business and communicating with you.
PAGE 3 The BYZANTINE ECHO - www.mefgox.org September 2012
PICTURES OF THE 2012 MEFGOX CONVENTION ON PAGES 4 AND 5 �
CAPTIONS: Page 4 (from top) - Neal Desby conducts the Divine Liturgy; Greek Dancing at the Saturday evening banquet; new officers are installed by Metropolitan Savas and the local clergy. Page 5 (clockwise from the top) - The Convention Youth Choir with director Diane Matzorkis and Metropolitan Savas; The Youth Choir meets with Metropolitan Nicholas; members of the Convention Choir chant; the 2012 MEFGOX Convention Choir; Pana Mastros and Neal Desby listen to the homily.
Dan Packis, Scholarship Trustee; Otto Wallenmeyer, Michael Hadgis Memorial Scholarship recipient ; His Eminence Metropolitan Savas; Anna Lichtenstein, MEFGOX Memorial Scholarship recipient; Ted Niforos, Scholarship Trustee; Not pictured: Georgia Stathopoulos, Scholarship Trustee; Nicholas Wardner, MEFGOX Memorial Scholarship recipient.
The MEFGOX Memorial Scholarship Trustees, Ted Niforos, Georgia Stathopoulos, and Dan Packis, presented three scholarship awards at the Grand Banquet. The 2012 MEFGOX Memorial Scholarship awards went to:
Otto Wallenmeyer, from Shermans Dale, Pennsylvania, has been involved with the Holy Trinity church choir of Camp Hill, Pa. since about the age of eight. He has also been a part of school musical productions, concert band, jazz band, concert choir, marching band and National Honor Society. Otto is the recipient of the Michael Hadgis Memorial Scholarship and will be attending Shippensburg University in Shippensburg, Pa. Congratulations Otto!
Anna Lichtenstein, from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania is a member of the Holy Trinity church choir. In school, she is not only a member of the choir, but marching band, pit orchestra, mixed choral ensembles, debate club, environmental club and Latin studies. Anna has written musical compositions since before the age of ten. Anna is the recipient of the George Georgantas Memorial Scholarship award and will be attending Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr, Pa. studying music and music history. Congratulations Anna!
Nicholas Wardner, from Ann Arbor, Michigan is a member of St Nicholas church choir in Ann Arbor. He has also been a member of Jr. Goya, tutored middle school students, and been a volunteer at the children’s hospital. In school, Nicholas has performed in various a cappella groups and competed in statewide competitions and participated in a European tour. Nicholas will be attending at Wake Forest University in Charlotte, N. C. Nicholas is the recipient of the MEFGOX Memorial Scholarship award. Congratulations Nicholas!
Congratulations to the 2012 MEFGOX Memorial Scholarship Recipients
PAGE 4 The BYZANTINE ECHO - www.mefgox.org September 2012
Photos courtesy of Tia Wurst and Stan Takis
PAGE 5 The BYZANTINE ECHO - www.mefgox.org September 2012
PAGE 6 The BYZANTINE ECHO - www.mefgox.org September 2012
NEWS ITEMS NEWS ITEMS NEWS ITEMS NEWS ITEMS
PRESIDENT IRENE GEORGANTAS RECEIVES ATHENAGORAS AWARDPRESIDENT IRENE GEORGANTAS RECEIVES ATHENAGORAS AWARDPRESIDENT IRENE GEORGANTAS RECEIVES ATHENAGORAS AWARDPRESIDENT IRENE GEORGANTAS RECEIVES ATHENAGORAS AWARD
At this year’s Convention in Rocky River, Ohio, Irene Georgantas was awarded the 2012 Athenagoras Medal for Distinguished Metropolis Service. The medal is a national award given by the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians to church musicians who have been selected by their Federations. Outgoing National Chairman Vicki Pappas presented the award to Irene during the Grand Banquet. Irene has made many contributions to the music ministry of her parishes as well as to the Metropolis of Detroit. Irene grew up in her home parish of Sts. Constantine and Helen Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, where she sang in the choir with John Tsolainos, starting in her teenage years. She was introduced to the Federation through John and attended many of its meetings, workshops, and Conventions. After her marriage to George Georgantas, she moved to Rochester, N.Y. where she continued to serve the church through music. Originally trained as a pianist, she sought additional instruction, as a MEFGOX Scholarship recipient, in organ performance at the Eastman Community School of Music to better prepare herself to serve as an organist, first at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Rochester and then at the Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church over a span of 35 years. Irene continues to accompany and sing as a tenor in the Holy Spirit Choir, and she is also one of their chanters. She chants the Orthros on every Sunday, and chants at every Saturday Vespers service, at many of the parish’s weekday Liturgies, and at every service during Great Lent and Holy Week. Irene was also instrumental in the founding of the Holy Spirit Church in 1995 and was elected as President of its Parish Council, headed the parish’s Stewardship Committee, and most recently, serving again as President for the past three years. For her Metropolis service, Irene has been involved with the Mid-Eastern Federation for more than 47 years. She had the honor of being selected to be the Guest Accompanist for six different Federation Conventions, for the 50th Anniversary Convention, and for the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy in Pittsburgh. She also accompanied the Buffalo Choir when then-Archbishop Iakovos celebrated a Liturgy, and has served as accompanist at numerous MEFGOX workshops and other special services. Since 2009, Irene has been the President of MEFGOX, where previously she has served as Vice-President and District Representative, working hard to foster communication with all the parishes and encourage attendance at workshops and conventions. A hallmark of Irene’s Presidency has been her commitment to involving more youth in our Federation, advocating for youth involvement as a top priority. As a choir singer, accompanist, chanter, and through her service to MEFGOX, Irene embodies the spirit of the Athenagoras Award through her exemplary contributions to the music ministry of our faith.
IN MEMORY OF JOHANNA (CAPTETAN) COCHERESIN MEMORY OF JOHANNA (CAPTETAN) COCHERESIN MEMORY OF JOHANNA (CAPTETAN) COCHERESIN MEMORY OF JOHANNA (CAPTETAN) COCHERES
On July 19, 2012, MEFGOX lost a long-standing member, Jo Cocheres of North Hills, Pa. Also known as "Honey," she had a large and loving family. Jo graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh and became a teacher in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. She was an active member of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, serving in the choir and as organist for over forty years. Donations in her name may be sent to the Holy Trinity Building Fund, 495 Browns Lane,
Pittsburgh, PA 15237. May her memory be eternal. from Nick Loomis
JAMES CHERONIS, OTHERS, TO DEACONATEJAMES CHERONIS, OTHERS, TO DEACONATEJAMES CHERONIS, OTHERS, TO DEACONATEJAMES CHERONIS, OTHERS, TO DEACONATE
In July 2012, James Cheronis of Warren, Pa. started a long-sought journey to become a deacon by entering the program at Holy Cross Seminary in Brookline, Mass. for the permanent deaconate. He and his wife, Christine, and their children are active members of St. Nicholas Church in Jamestown, N.Y. Jim is the psaltis at St. Nicholas and a member of the choir. He is the parish council president and has served several terms previously. Other Federation members who in the past three years have enrolled in the program are Strat Calagias of Westland, Mi. and Bill Leogas of Monessen, Pa.
PAGE 7 The BYZANTINE ECHO - www.mefgox.org September 2012
In the cor ner- fi re- place- glow the em bers- red and still, while out side- theSti ghio nia- mas kok ki- no- t'a nam- me- no- tza ki.- Tou fes- chio ni-
a
f
Moderato
2
4k‚k‚k‚k‚
k‚k‚
k k k‚z kƒk‚k‚
k k k‚ o
k‚k‚k‚k‚
a
f 2
4k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k k k
‡
z k
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
k k k
‡
o
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
snow flakes- fall, soft ly- on the win�dow sill. All the vil lage- keeps a watchpe ftou- ne- sto pa ra- thi- ra- ki.- O lo a- po- pse- xa ghri- pno-
a
fk‚
k‚
k k k‚z kƒk‚k‚
kk k
‚ o Jk‚z kk
ƒkk
‚kk
‚kk
‚kk kkkka
fk
‡
k
‡
k k k
‡
z k
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
kk k
‡
o Jk
‡
zk
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
in the cold moon light,- church bells toll the glad some- news: Christ is born this night.me ni- to cho rio- ke kti pa- Chri stou- ghen- na- to kam ba- na- rio.-
a
f kzkz
‚ kk
ƒ
kk
‚
kkkk
jj
kzkz
‚kk
ƒkk
‚
kk
‚
kk
‚
kk
‚
kk
k zk z
‚
kk
ƒkk
‚k
k
‚
kz
o J
a
fk
‡
z k
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
j k
‡
z k
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k k
‡
z k
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
kz
o J
You whom all the an gels- praise, come to us this ho�ly night. We shall cut theE la E- si,- p'Ar chan- ge- li- s'a ni- mnoun'- a po- pse.- Pa re a- po- tin
a
f
k‚k‚k‚k‚
k‚k‚
k k k‚z kƒk‚k‚
k k k‚ o
k‚k‚k‚k‚
a
f
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k k k
‡
z k
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
k k k
‡
o
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
Christ mas- bread, join us for this sweet de light.- Near the hearth so warm and bright,pit ta- mas pou ev o- dhia,- ke ko pse.- E la- k'i gho ni- tsa- mas
a
fk‚k‚
k k k‚z kƒk‚k‚k
k k‚ o J
k‚z kk
ƒkk
‚kk
‚kk
‚kk kkkka
fk
‡
k
‡
k k k
‡
z k
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
kk k
‡
o Jk
‡
zk
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
we have made your bed, where, my Christ Child, you may lay down your sleep y- head.kar te- ri- na'r this,- sou stro- sa,- Chri stou- li- mou, ghia na ze sta- this.-
a
f kzkz
‚ kk
ƒ
kk
‚
kkkkjj
kzkz
‚kk
ƒkk
‚
kk
‚
kk
‚
kk
‚
kk
k zk z
‚
kk
ƒkk
‚k
k
‚
kz
o J
a
fk
‡
z k
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
j k
‡
z k
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k
‡
k k
‡
z k
ˆ
k
‡
k
‡
kz
o J
Throughout those 30 years, I’ve relied on what I’ve learned from YOU, and from all your friendships and support. My roots with you, with this Federation, have always been the hallmark of my work at the Archdiocesan level – they sustained, they energized me, and they taught me. For this, I thank you, both personally and on behalf of the National Forum, for all of you are an integral part of our national network of church musicians. Your contributions, large and small, are the backbone and foundation of our local parishes, our two Metropolises, our Federation, and of course, the National Forum. You can’t imagine how grateful I am for being a part of this Federation that helped give birth to the National Forum and for all your friendships and work over the years. I thank you for the trust you and all the other church musicians across our Archdiocese placed in me to represent you at the highest levels for these past thirty years, and for the many blessings you’ve given to my life. It has been an extraordinary journey, an extraordinary pleasure, and an extreme privilege to serve you, our Federation, our Archdiocese, and our faith. What happens in the future rests with all of us – not just with one Chairman, not just with one Federation. I trust you will give Maria the same love, respect, and support that you so graciously gave me. I trust that this Federation will continue to be a leadership force in the National Forum. And I trust that our Federation will continue to be filled with people remarkably committed to serving their church and working towards goals steeped in the essence of our Orthodox faith: to do good works, to sing praises to God and all His Saints, and to carry out that very special sacred liturgical role we hold: to lead the people in worship by creating an atmosphere and a space where they experience God. Now tonight, the circle comes to a close, and I leave you – with many thanks, with much love, and looking forward to our continued service in church music together.
(Continued from page 1)
Christoughenna—A Greek Christmas Carol English Translation by N. Takis Stelios Sperantsas 1888-1962
PAGE 8 The BYZANTINE ECHO - www.mefgox.org September 2012
St. George Greek Orthodox Church 16300 Dix-Toledo Highway
Southgate, MI 48195
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
P A I D WYANDOTTE, MI
PERMIT #68
MORE CONVENTION PHOTOS: Right—Javier Gonzalez, guest organist and his wife, vocal clinician Gabriela Martinez; Lower Right—Close friends gather at the Saturday banquet, including Peter Phillips and George Raptis; Below—Metropolitan Savas and the Federation Youth enjoy the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
(Photos are from Metropolitan Savas and Venetia Wurst.)
