When the highly anticipated 2020 Pan-Orthodox Music Symposium was going to be held on the campus of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, the Seminary planned to offer three scholarships to cover the cost of airfare, hotel, tuition, meals, etc. But then Covid-19 turned the Symposium into an entirely online event, and the change in registration costs allowed the Seminary to offer thirty scholarships instead. The added scholarships mean that many more people, from different Orthodox jurisdictions, will now be able to take part in the Symposium.
Robin Freeman, director of music and lecturer in choral conducting at St. Vladimir’s, says that the scholarship winners were a varied group. “The majority of the applicants are interested in growing their singing and conducting skills,” said Freeman. “Some are already conductors in parishes and want to address what they perceive to be gaps in their liturgical knowledge. Some are second-string conductors in parishes, or budding singer/conductors in parishes, and they want to gain confidence as they grow into new positions.”
St. Vladimir’s was able to make these scholarships available through a gift made by the Prokofiev Music Endowment. The endowment was established specifically for the education and training of church musicians.
The Symposium is a joint effort sponsored by St. Vladimir’s Institute of Sacred Arts and The International Society for Orthodox Church Music (ISOCM). Exploring the theme of "Music as Liturgy," the Symposium, which will be held from Thursday, June 11 through Saturday, June 13, 2020, will feature masterclasses, workshops, liturgical worship, and presentations. Nearly 200 people from around the world are participating.
