Serbian Orthodox Church music belongs to a family of chants derived from Byzantine chant by means of oral transmission, just as prostopinie melodies used in Carpatho-Russian churches are derived from znameny (and other) chant traditions. Similar melodies are found and used throughout a large area ranging from Greece to Ukraine, including Russian ´Greek chant´ (греческий распев).
This course concentrates on the Serbian variant of this tradition while comparing it to its “mother” and “sister” traditions. It comprises individual lessons and group lectures/workshops together with a teacher.
Participants will also have access to pre-recorded lectures in which the tradition will be explained.
Lectures will give an insight into the theoretical aspect of chanting, including the history of chant, basic liturgics, typicon and basics of the Church Slavonic language. The content given in the videos will be developed further through workshops and will provide the opportunity for participants to work together, under the supervision of the teachers, to compose music to a given text and discuss practical matters and problems that may be encountered during a service. Individual lessons will provide support for participants’ specific difficulties concerning the subject.
Participants will learn how to read western staff notation related to transcriptions of chants, fixed and movable parts of services, and how services should be conducted, and how to readings are conducted in the Church. Participants will also learn how to read, better understand, and correctly pronounce the church Slavonic language, as well as improving their general vocal performance.
The course will be conducted primarily on-line.
