The inaugural Day Retreat on Byzantine Chant organised by the Byzantine Music School of Australia (NSW branch)

A large gathering of friends of the Psaltic Art attended the inaugural Day Retreat on Byzantine Chant organised by the Byzantine Music School of Australia (NSW branch) on the 5th of November 2022 at the Holy Monastery of St George, Yellow Rock. The retreat’s theme this year was “The Genres of Byzantine Chant”.

His Eminence, Archbishop Makarios was represented by His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis who conveyed his Eminence’s blessing and support for the School and the event.

Fr Ieronymos, the Abbot of the Holy Monastery of St George also blessed and welcomed all participants to the monastery.

The day started with Matins and the Divine Liturgy, officiated by Abbot Ieronymos and chanted by the teachers of the BMSA and other participants of the retreat.

Five workshops were presented by the teachers of the BMSA and by a special guest speaker, Fr Damaskinos Olkinuora of the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos in Mt Athos.

Dr Andrew Mellas presented on the Genre of Kontakion since the time of St Romanos the Melodist.

Fr Dr Damaskinos explained the genre of the Canon, its history and modern practice in the parishes and in Athonite monasteries.

Mr Andrew Psarommatis spoke about the neurophysiology of chanting, applied to the chanting of Heirmologic compositions.

Mr Basilios Psilacos, principal of the NSW branch of the BMSA,  taught examples of the Ekphonetic genre (Epistle reading) in the traditional musical scale of Kliton in Greek and English.

Dr Dimitri Koubaroulis described chanting in the 14th century, the life of St John Koukouzelis and the Kalophonic genre of composition.

The day concluded with a musical performance of a kalophonic Prokeimenon from the Asmatic Matins of St John Koukouzelis (14th c.) by the Melisma Ensemble under the direction of Dimitri Koubaroulis.

For more information on the Byzantine Music School of Australia, contact [email protected]