NEW YORK – The choir and orchestra of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of Holy Trinity continued the community’s delightful holiday musical ride with its annual “Glorious Christmas” concert on December 18.
Led by the Cathedral’s new Director of Music Evey Simon and Associate Director Costas Tsourakis, and “under the high patronage of Archbishop Demetrios of America, the choir soared musically and spiritually, the music of Christ’s birth resonating beneath the golden Cathedral dome and in the hearts of the audience.
Simon, who is a singer and pianist, thanked the audience and praised the musicians. During intermission she presided over a ceremony honoring the memories of “Three giants among Church musicians” who passed away in 2015, Presbytera Anna Gallos, Demetrios Pappas, and George Raptis, her mentor.
The Archbishop declared all three “deserved our congratulations and gratitude.”
Tsourakis’ rich baritone voice intoned the Orthodox communion hymn “Tou Dipnou Sou Tou Mystikou,” beginning the eclectic and well-blended program of Byzantine and Western hymns, and Greek and English secular carols and songs.
After the musicians tuned up a bit the orchestra dived right into the lively opening measures of Antonio Vivaldis’ magnificent setting of the ancient hymn “Gloria in Excelsis Deo.”
The cathedral resonated with the sound of the choir when they joined at full volume and serenity descended on the audience for the second section as the tone and volume of the ensemble softened, sublimely reflecting the lyrics “Et in Terra Pax – And on Earth, Peace.”
The Archbishop, during his welcoming remarks, remarked on Simon’s first-year achievements, saying, “you can have excellent voices and an excellent orchestra, but when you put them together the result” is not always excellent. He noted that achieving balance takes a tremendous effort, and said Simon’s coordination was outstanding.
The soloists and featured singers included mezzo sopranos Karolina Pilou, Yiselle Blum and Kirsten Kane, soprano Sung Young Chang, Alison Spina, Alexandra Skendrou, Emily Rakis Skouletas and Flora Kirou, bass Stephan Kirchgraber, and tenors Benjamin Robinson, Victor Khodadad, and Thomas Massey, who sang Christmas favorite O Holy Night with angelic accompaniment by the choir.
The concert resumed with a thrilling rendition of “Angels We Have Heard” On High and continued with music of the honorees of blessed memory.
“To Ekklisaki- My Little Church” is a Greek folk tune that Simon said Raptis lovingly arranged. The hymn “Mayoi Kai Pimenes – The Magi and the Shepherds” was given a refined yet touching setting by Pappas, whose “Axion Estin – It is Worthy Indeed,” followed, and the concert concluded with Gallos’ liturgical Suite “Christos Gennatai – Christ is Born.”
The holiday spirit was burnished with Gustav Holst’s delightful fantasy on a medley of carols, “Christmas Day.”
During the tribute Simon noted Gallos was credited with returning American church music to its byzantine roots, Pappas is for producing The Greek Orthodox Hymnal and George Raptis was a prominent composer and conductor of liturgical music.
Each family was represented and the Cathedral Philoptochos, which donated to the concert, contributed funds that enabled some relatives to attend.
The post Archdiocesan Cathedral’s “Glorious Christmas” appeared first on The National Herald.