Difference between revisions of "Spirit of Orthodoxy Choir"

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The '''Spirit of Orthodoxy Choir''' is a choir composed of Orthodox Christian singers in the New York - New Jersey - Pennsylvania area of the United States. It is committed to singing in the English language the great works of Orthodox music that glorifies God and expresses the Orthodox faith, thus opening the treasury of Orthodox music to the community.  
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This is the '''OrthodoxWiki Sandbox'''!  Feel free to edit here to your heart's content!
 
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[[Category:OrthodoxWiki]]
 
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‘’’Ephesus’’’ was an important center for early Christianity. The city, in western Asia Minor, was a significant center along the missionary travels of St. [[Paul]] during the first century. The Christians of Ephesus were recipients of one of Paul’s letter as well as one from St [[Ignatius]] in the second century. Ephesus was one of the seven cities mentioned in [[Revelations]]. It was the site of the [[Third Ecumenical Council]] in 431, and it was the [[see]] of St [[Mark of Ephesus]] in the fifteenth century.
 
  
 
==History==
 
==History==
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Ephesus (Greek: ‘‘Έφεσος’‘, Turkish: ‘‘Efes’‘) was founded as an Ionian Greek city in the tenth century before Christ by colonists from Athens. Founded on the Cayster River where it flowed into the Aegean Sea, Ephesus was a trading center during pre-Christian history with an extensive mythological history. It is the site of the pagan temple of Artemis, one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World.
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The Spirit Of Orthodoxy Choir was established in 1997 under the direction of Aleksei Shipovalnikov. The choir consists of singers from various [[parish]]es and [[jurisdiction]]s who are dedicated to church singing and who desire to be witnesses to the faith through music.
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Ephesus came under Roman rule in 86 BC and became the capital of proconsular Asia in 27 BC. Under Roman rule Ephesus prospered, became a metropolis and a major commercial center, second only is size to Rome. It was this city that Paul came to on his [[missionary]] journeys. While the destruction of Ephesus by the Goths in 263 reduced the splendor of the city, it continued to be an important city into the fifth and sixth centuries. It was again partially destroyed in an earthquake in 614.
 
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Over the years the commercial importance of Ephesus declined as the Cayster River silted up the harbor, causing the city to lose access to the Aegean Sea. Attacks by the Arabs in the following centuries furthered the decline of the city such that by the eleventh century it was reduced to a village. After being destroyed by Turks in 1090, the community was rebuilt during the following century on the hills surrounding the nearby church of St. John and was commonly called ‘’Hagios Theologos’’ (holy theologian) referring to St. [[John the Theologian]].
 
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During the following centuries the town prospered for a short time under the Turks, but was finally abandoned during the fifteenth century. Today Ephesus consists of the remains of the temple of Artemis, the theater, stadium, and a “Double Church” that probably is an old cathedral that was dedicated to the [[Virgin Mary]] where the councils of [[Third Ecumenical Council|431]] and 449 were held.  
 
  
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==Christian history==
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These music selections represent three schools of Russian Church music and have been sufficiently translated into English. Some of the choir's repertoire has been unheard in the West. The Choir sings chiefly in English but also performs music in [[Church Slavonic]]. Their repertoire witnesses to the range and quality of the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church. Their singing is a capella, without instrumentation. This is typical of the Orthodox Church, where the human voice and soul are invaluable in worship.
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Ephesus was an early center of Christianity. St. Paul spent three years in Ephesus establishing and organizing the church, before he was forced to leave the city. His letters included one addressed directly to the Ephesians. Traditionally, the Apostle John the Theologian spent the last days of his life in Ephesus where his was buried. Tradition also places the death of St [[Mary Magdalen]] in Ephesus.
 
  
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During the early centuries of Christian era Ephesus continued as a center of Christianity second only to Antioch in Asia Minor. The [[First Ecumenical Council|Council of Nicaea]] conferred on Ephesus ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the diocese of Asia Minor that included eleven provinces. Ephesus was the site of the [[Third Ecumenical Council]] where [[Cyril of Alexandria]] led the condemnation of [[Nestorianism]]. [[Justinian the Great]] built a large church adjacent to Ephesus that was dedicated to John the Theologian.  
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==Director==
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Aleksei V. Shipovalnikov was born in Rostov on the Don and studied composition, polyphony and conducting at the Gnesin Sate Conservatory and the Moscow Institute of Culture. His post-graduate studies included a master class with Leonard Bernstein in 1988. He served as Artistic Director and Manager of the Moscow State University Symphony Orchestra and Academic Choir and has conducted in the Soviet Union, West Germany and Poland. He established a reputation during the Communist era for innovative programming in spite of the political risks involved. In 1990 he moved to the United States, where he has served as Choir Director of [[Christ the Saviour Church (San Francisco, California)|Christ the Saviour Church, San Francisco]] and Music Director of Slavyanka Men's Slavic Chorus. He was Professor of Liturgical Music at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Seminary]], South Canaan, Pennsylvania. He is currently Music Director at [[Ss. Peter and Paul Church (Jersey City, New Jersey)|Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, Jersey City, New Jersey]].
  
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In the following years the city suffered from the deprecations of the Arabs and later the Turks, while during the [[Iconoclasm|iconoclastic]] period the defenders of images were [[martyr]]ed. After being destroyed by Turks in 1090, the community was rebuilt on the hills surrounding the church of St. John and was commonly called ‘’Hagios Theologos’’ referring to St. John the Theologian. After the succession of attacks during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the Christian community was greatly reduced such that when Mark of Ephesus attended the Council of Florence in 1439, he represented a community that had become a village.  
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==External Link==
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* [http://www.spiritoforthodoxy.com/ Official website]
  
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==External links==
 
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[[w:Ephesus]]
 
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*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05490a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Ephesus]
 
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*[http://www.abrock.com/Greece-Turkey/ephesus.html  Ephesus]
 
  
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[[Category:Places]]
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[[Category:Church Music]]
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[[Category:Organizations]]

Latest revision as of 16:04, April 13, 2016

The Spirit of Orthodoxy Choir is a choir composed of Orthodox Christian singers in the New York - New Jersey - Pennsylvania area of the United States. It is committed to singing in the English language the great works of Orthodox music that glorifies God and expresses the Orthodox faith, thus opening the treasury of Orthodox music to the community.

History

The Spirit Of Orthodoxy Choir was established in 1997 under the direction of Aleksei Shipovalnikov. The choir consists of singers from various parishes and jurisdictions who are dedicated to church singing and who desire to be witnesses to the faith through music.

These music selections represent three schools of Russian Church music and have been sufficiently translated into English. Some of the choir's repertoire has been unheard in the West. The Choir sings chiefly in English but also performs music in Church Slavonic. Their repertoire witnesses to the range and quality of the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church. Their singing is a capella, without instrumentation. This is typical of the Orthodox Church, where the human voice and soul are invaluable in worship.

Director

Aleksei V. Shipovalnikov was born in Rostov on the Don and studied composition, polyphony and conducting at the Gnesin Sate Conservatory and the Moscow Institute of Culture. His post-graduate studies included a master class with Leonard Bernstein in 1988. He served as Artistic Director and Manager of the Moscow State University Symphony Orchestra and Academic Choir and has conducted in the Soviet Union, West Germany and Poland. He established a reputation during the Communist era for innovative programming in spite of the political risks involved. In 1990 he moved to the United States, where he has served as Choir Director of Christ the Saviour Church, San Francisco and Music Director of Slavyanka Men's Slavic Chorus. He was Professor of Liturgical Music at St. Tikhon's Seminary, South Canaan, Pennsylvania. He is currently Music Director at Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, Jersey City, New Jersey.

External Link

Retrieved from "https://en.orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Spirit_of_Orthodoxy_Choir&oldid=123163"