ST ROMANOS CHURCH MUSIC FESTIVAL

The National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians is launching a new project, the St. Romanos Church Music Festival. Modeled on the Oratorical Festival, this will be an opportunity for our young people to learn the hymns of the church and to prepare to take their places as the next generation of church musicians that will lead and support the prayers of God's people for the rest of this century!

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2025

No later than May 24th - contact Dawn Helene, Archdiocesan District Coordinator, to indicate your parish’s intention to participate in the District Festival. You can email nyjorvik@gmail.com or call 347-437-1592 and leave a voicemail. Upon receipt of your communication, Dawn will mail the registration form to you or the parish chairperson you designate.

No later than June 8th - hold your local festival and submit the registration forms for your top-scoring participants in each division (grades 7-9 and grades 10-12).

 

June 21st - The Archdiocesan District Festival will be held at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church NYC, 302 W 91 ST, New York, NY, 10024. All are welcome to attend; only registered participants will be allowed to sing.

 

Guidelines for Parish Chairpersons

You are responsible for publicizing and hosting your individual parish-level event. Please encourage the youth of your parish to participate, and to aspire to sing at the Archdiocesan District level. Let them know that the Holy Spirit blesses each person with spiritual talents, and that they honor God by witnessing to their faith through sacred music. Give them support in their preparations and offer constructive help as the need and opportunity arises. You may consider awards and incentives as your parish deems appropriate.

 

You are responsible for completing a registration form on behalf of your top-scoring participant, and for submitting it to the Archdiocesan District Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians by June 1st. The form and deadline will be sent to each parish that commits to participating with instructions for submission. If the top-scoring participant is unavailable on the date of the Archdiocesan District event, please send the participant with the next-highest score.

 

Please arrange with your parish priest to honor the participants in your parish-level event. As all the approved hymns are in regular use during the divine liturgy, we suggest that you have at least your top-scoring participant (and possibly additional participants, at your priest’s discretion) offer their chosen hymn during a liturgy at your church.

 

Please consider inviting judges from outside your own parish, for maximum objectivity. Also think about including a chanter on the judging panel.

Guidelines for Participants

 

Each participant must be a member in good standing of a Greek Orthodox church in the Archdiocesan District.

 

Junior Division participants must be in grades 7-9.

Senior Division participants must be in grades 10-12.

 

The participant with the top score in each division will advance to the Archdiocesan District festival.

 

Participants agree to have their performances and/or photographs used for promotional materials.

 

Participants must wear proper church attire, be accompanied by an adult, and arrange their own travel.

 

Participants must choose one selection from the following list of hymns:

Άξιον Εστίν (Axion Estin)

 

Άγιος, Άγιος, Άγιος (Agios, Agios, Agios)

 

Σε Υμνούμεν (Se Ymnoumen)

 

Του Λίθου Σφραγισθέντος (Tou Lithou Sfragisthendos)

 

Ότε Κατήλθες (Ote Katilthes)

 

Ευφραινέσθω τα Ουράνια (Ephrainestho ta Ourania)

 

Το Φαιδρόν της Αναστάσεως Κήρυγμα (To Phaidron tis Anastaseos Kirygma)

 

Τον Συνάναρχον Λόγον (Ton Synanarchon Logon)

 

Αγγελικαί Δυνάμεις (Angelike Dynameis)

 

Κατέλυσας τω Σταυρώ σου (Katelisas to Stavro sou)

 

Εξ ύψους κατήλθες (Ex Ipsous Katilthes)

 

Τη Υπερμάχω (Ti Ypermacho)

 

OR:

The Apolytikion of a particular saint

 

Hymns may be sung in Greek or in English, and may be read from a western or a Byzantine score.

 

Participants must submit one copy of the hymn they will be singing, clean and legible, with the phrases numbered. No identifying information, of the participant or their home church, may be visible. The copy will be returned after the judges have completed their deliberations. Participants must identify their chosen hymn when registering.

 

All hymns will be performed without accompaniment or microphone, but participants need not memorize their chosen hymn (a music stand will be provided).

 

Before participants begin singing, they must state the title of the hymn and its category (apolytikion, megalynarion, etc) and identify when it is sung liturgically. If possible, please identify the composer and/or arranger and date of composition. You may also share your reason(s) for choosing this particular piece, if you wish.

 

Your singing will be evaluated on:

Pitch accuracy and intonation

Rhythmic accuracy

Breath support

Tone quality

Diction/Enunciation

Poise/Posture

Interpretation/Musicianship