mci.archpitt.orgMetropolitan Cantor Institute

- Site map - Blog - Liturgical calendar - Classes - Publications - Recordings - Resources - Contact us About this site - Sheetmusic archive - FAQ Cantor Institute - What is a cantor? - Our cantors - Becoming a cantor - Improving your skills - Online classes - Archived classes Liturgy - Basic elements - Daily cycle - Weekly cycle - Eight tones - Liturgical year - Divine Liturgy - Holy Mysteries - Occasional services - Funeral services - Living liturgically Menaion Musicianship - Sound - Singing - Intervals - Scales - Notation - Vocal course Prostopinije - History - Melodies - Harmonies - Rhythm - Performance Choral music - Our choirs - Composers - Resources Readings - Lectionary - Pronunciation guide Setting the services Singing the services - Preparation - Leadership - Pitch matching Spiritual songs - The Hymnal Project Tools for learning - Recording your voice - Theta Music Trainer - Using Moodle MCI Online login Theta Music Trainer login ( sign up ) The texts, music and commentary on this website were prepared by the of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. They are approved for provisional use in the Archeparchy, but are otherwise unofficial and should be considered superseded by any materials promulgated by the Council of Hierarchs. Upcoming events April 25, 2024 - MCI Office Hours: 8:30-9 PM and 10-10:30 PM Eastern time. Open chat, 9-10 PM Eastern time. (Zoom link ) May 6, 2024 - MCI Online classes begin: Introduction to the Typikon, The Office of Vespers, Mastering the Eight Tones, and Services for the Living ( more info ) Liturgical Calendar April 21 is the fourth Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Paralytic. Vespers - Matins - Divine Liturgy April 23 is the feast of the holy great-martyr George the Wonder-worker. Vespers - Divine Liturgy April 24 is the feast of Mid-Pentecost. Vespers - Divine Liturgy April 28 is the fifth Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman. Vespers - Matins - Divine Liturgy May 5 is the sixth Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Man Born Blind. y Vespers - Matins - Divine Liturgy May 8 is the leave-taking of Pascha. May 9 is the feast of the ASCENSION of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Vespers - Matins - Divine Liturgy May 12 is the Sunday of the Fathers at the First Ecumenical Council, at Nicea in 325. Vespers - Matins - Divine Liturgy May 18 is the fifth All Souls Saturday (commemoration of all the faithful departed since the beginning of the world). Divine Liturgy - Parastas May 19 is the feast of Pentecost, the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Vespers - Matins - Divine Liturgy - Moleben to the Holy Spirit - Sunday afternoon Vespers May 25 is the leave-taking of Pentecost. May 26 is the beginning of the Apostles’ Fast, which ends on June 28. May 26 is the Sunday of All Saintst. Vespers - Matins - Divine Liturgy complete liturgical calendar Vigil Divine Liturgy propers May 8 - Ascension of the Lord May 18 - Pentecost MCI Online registration is now open for 2024 The new year of online cantor classes begins this week, and there is time to enroll! Here is what is available. Three introductory classes are FREE and open to all members of the Byzantine Catholic Church in the USA and Canada: Introduction to Liturgy Introduction to Church Singing Reading in Church These are 8-week, entirely self-paced classes (Reading in Church is 4 weeks); the Church Singing and Reading classes include instructor feedback on recordings each student makes. They are easy and cover a lot of material that is helpful for cantors to know, and useful for clergy and faithful. To enroll, just create an ID at https://mci.archpitt.org/online , take a look at the three introductory classes, choose one, and click on Enroll me in this course on the left side of the screen. Anyone who has completed the three introductory classes can sign up for the Basic Cantor Course: Introduction to the Divine Liturgy (learn the service, and ONE melody for each major hymn) Introduction to the Eight Tones (learn the troparion, kontakion and prokeimenon melodies) Introduction to the Typikon (learn how to set up services for ordinary Sundays and weekdays) These classes are all self-paced (there are no set times for classes and you can take as long as you need). These classes have a registration fee, usually $60 for an 8 week class; there are discounts for each sequence of classes, for parishes with no resident cantor, and in cases of financial hardship. See the Classes page for registration forms. Students who have completed the Basic Cantor Course can sign up for the Intermediate Cantor Course: The Liturgical Year (all the music for the fixed feasts of the year, except for Christmas/Theophany; how the liturgical year "works") The Divine Liturgy (learn the service, and ALL melodies in the green book for each major hymn) The Office of Vespers Mastering the Eight Tones (learn the melodies for stichera and other hymns at Vespers, plus all the Our Father melodies) Students who have completed the Intermediate Cantor Course can sign up for the Advanced Cantor Course: he Great Fast and Holy Week From Pascha to Pentecost Services for the Living (baptism, wedding, and occasional services) Hierarchical and Reader Services (services with the bishop, or when no priest is present; includes Typika) Services for the Departed Services of Christmas and Theophany Students who complete these classes, and demonstrate their ability to learn the singing at the Divine Liturgy in their parish, will earn a cantor’s certificate from the MCI. The entire program can take as little as two years, and cost a total of $300 (less in the situations mentioned above). Our church needs cantors, and this program can help you develop the knowledge and skills they need. Please check out the Classes page for more information, and registration forms. MCI Office Hours, and new day/time for Cantor Chat I have received several requests to have regular office hours for MCI classes, and it sounds like it may also be useful to have a time people can ask questions about upcoming services, particularly on the weekend. So beginning this week, I will be hosting the following every Thursday on Zoom: 8:30 - 9 PM (Eastern TIme) Office hours (early) 9:00 - 10 PM (Eastern) Cantor chat / open discussion 10 - 10:30 PM (Eastern) Office hours (late) This should make things more accessible and predictable for cantors in any of the North American time zones. If you’re taking an MCI class OR just have questions, you can stop in for help or answers, early or late, without having to make arrangements in advance. To just chat with other cantors, stop in for the middle hour. I hope you can make it! The schedule and Zoom link will be posted here on the MCI home page, top right under Upcoming Events . If I have to cancel office hours for any reason, that will be noted in the same place. Noe that this is a NEW Zoom meeting, so any old links can be discarded. Annual Typikon now available for 2024 The 2024 Annual Typikon is now available from the Byzantine Seminary Press: https://www.byzantineseminarypress.com/2024-typicon/ If you don’t have a common of the Common Typikon already - AND your parish celebrates Vespers or Matins - you probably need the Common Typikon as well (unchanging from year to year): https://www.byzantineseminarypress.com/revised-common-typicon/ For more about both these books, and how to use them, see the MCI Online course Introduction to the Typikon , which is enabled for guest access. This information is also summarized at Setting the Services . Organization for Cantors Formed! It is my pleasure to announce that there is now an organization for the cantors of the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church in the United States - all four eparchies. Membership is open to those who regularly lead the singing at church services in one of our parishes or missions, as well as anyone who has in the past been a regular parish cantor for five years or more. You can find a membership application and the...