This is the website of the Byzantine Chant Choir of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Pittsburgh, PA, under the direction of Protopsalti Stephen Esper. We are devoted to spreading Byzantine Music throughout the English speaking world (focusing on the USA) while preserving the Byzantine ethos, in contrast to the Western execution of Byzantine music.
We strive to read everything using Byzantine Notation, and if you'd like to learn how to read the Byzantine notational system we will have some resources up soon! Hopefully, we'll also have some articles up that articulate our reasons for using Byzantine Notation instead of Western notation.
We will post much of the music that we sing that is originally composed or adapted. More music can be found on other websites that will be listed under the links section (such as St. Anthony's Monastery, St. Gregory Palamas Monastery, and Basil Crow).
You can also find recordings and music for the Original Melodies used in the metered melodies of Byzantine Chant (i.e. Automela) under the Automela link.
May the Lord bless you always!
For questions or comments, please e-mail: webmaster@byzantinechant.org
Check out our youtube channel!
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News!
May 22, 2011 - Members of the choir sang the responses at the wedding of two choir members, Marylou Kunkle and Sean Lenhart (recording to be posted soon).
May 17, 2011 - The choir sang the responses at the pan-Orthodox Vesperal Liturgy for Mid-Pentecost (at St. George Cathedral, Pittsburgh, PA).
May 9, 2011 - Members of the choir sang at the opening prayer service of the 2011 National Workshop on Christian Unity (a recording will be posted soon; for more info click here).
January 16, 2011 - Members of the choir traveled to Butler, PA to chant a pan-Orthodox Matins and Liturgy for the patronal feast of St. Anthony Church, with the local churches in attendance (the parish priest, Fr. Bogdan Bucur, is a former member of the choir); an article was written up on the event (p. 30 of the March 2011 Word Magazine
January 15, 2011 - Members of the choir traveled to Canonsburg, PA to chant for a wedding (the recording will be posted soon).
October 24, 2011 - The choir traveled to Brownsville, PA to chant Hierarchical Matins and Liturgy with Bishop Thomas (the recording will be posted soon).
September 26, 2010 - Members of the choir traveled to Canonsburg, PA to chant Orthros (Matins) and Liturgy at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church.
Septmeber 19, 2010 - Members of the choir traveled to Canonsburg, PA to chant Orthros (Matins) at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church.
September 4, 2010 - The choir sang the responses for the Marriage of Jonathan and Katrina Skowron.
July 29 - August 2, 2010 - Members of the choir traveled to Antiochian Village to chant at the Sacred Music Institute for the Hymnology lecture of Stephen Esper (see Video), Great Vespers with the Boston Byzantine Choir (see Recordings), and the Chamber Choir Concert (see Recordings).
April 24 - 25, 2010 - Members of the choir traveled to Youngstown, OH to sing Hierarchical Great Vespers, Matins and Liturgy with Bishop Mark for the patronal feast of the community of St. Mark Orthodox Church.
April 18, 2010 - Members of the choir performed at "He Granted Life" Concert of Eastern Christian Paschal Hymns, sponsored by the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh (see the Newsletter).
November 7, 2009 - Seven members of the choir traveled to Greensburg, PA to sing Great Vespers for the patronal feast of the community of St. Michael Orthodox Church.
July 31 - August 2, 2009 - Members of the choir traveled to the Antiochian Village to sing in the Sacred Music Institute Chamber Choir Concert (see Recordings).
November 7, 2008 - Members of the choir traveled to Greensburg, PA to sing Great Vespers for the patronal feast of the community of St. Michael Orthodox Church.