Liturgical Chanting in Portland

saltypsalti

Παλαιό Μέλος
Greetings Psaltai --Christ is in our midst!

Dimitri had asked me to write a little bit (I never write just a little bit) about liturgical chanting in at Holy Nativity of the Theotokos Cathedral in Portland, OR.

We are the Cathedral Parish in the Old Calendar HOCNA's Metropolis of Portland and the West. Our hierarch is a traditionalist with a progressive vision of the Church's future, which includes the development of a robust chanting program here in Portland. Currently, we have two sides chanting left and right -a women's choir on the Left and a male psaltai choir on the right. After a year of instruction, the Right Choir was reading pretty much from parasemantic, with some of our old western notated scores. The parish is currently mostly American converts and their children with a small number of the older surviving Greek Parishioners. We chant primarily from English scores which I have adapted, from Fr. Ephraim of AZ, as well as western notated HOCNA/HTM Scores which I have altered for more traditional yphos as well as more conservative isokratima. We chant no four part (except for the Slavonic "Our Father"). My goal is eventually to have both choirs all male, but I am realistic of our short term abilities right now.

We, in our heyday, had 6 gentlemen (myself, and 5 of my students) chanting on Right. We have had two ordinations from that litter, one left because of a midlife crisis and the others moving out of the area. We have a LOTS of small children (mostly girls), but the boys are too young right now to. There is little adult interest.

So --here is my shameless promotion --if anyone is interested in joining and chanting in a conservative but progressive Old Calendar parish and learning and chanting with us --I need all the help I can get.

Portland is a lovely city. The weather is generally temperate sea level climate, although we do get rather hot summers in the July/August months. We are known as "the City of Roses" (Triantafillopolis?) for the many roses that are grown here (some of which are unique to our fair city). Our industry is largely tech sector, and there is a large health care sector here as well. We have several large universities and colleges:

-Portland State University (public under and post grad)
-OHSU (Oregon Health Sciences University -Medical, Nursing, Dental and Pharmacy schools)
-Lewis and Clark University (private under and post grad)
-Warner Pacific University (private undergrad)
-University of Portland (excellent Catholic undergrad and post grad)
-Pacific University (private undergrad/post grad)

For those who come and visit and maybe stay with us "For you, a Portland rose grows".
protopsalti@orthodoxmetropolisportland.org
 

evangelos

Ευάγγελος Σολδάτος
I like your shameless proposal and I ask you another shameless question :D How the one who will come in Portland will live? Is this chanter's position a job offer? Tell us all the details about living in the City of Roses, how the life costs there, how much is a chanter's salary.if there is no salary for the chanter ,is there another job offer for the one who will live there? Also discribe us the skills of this person you want in details please Thank you :)
 

saltypsalti

Παλαιό Μέλος
I like your shameless proposal and I ask you another shameless question :D How the one who will come in Portland will live? Is this chanter's position a job offer? Tell us all the details about living in the City of Roses, how the life costs there, how much is a chanter's salary.if there is no salary for the chanter ,is there another job offer for the one who will live there? Also discribe us the skills of this person you want in details please Thank you :)

Unfortunately, in spite of our Cathedral status, we are stilll small old calendar community. I cannot offer a salary --:eek:I put that in my national appeal, but forgot to do so here, so please forgive me. I don't draw a salary here either Lycourgas offers no promise of salary to his choir either, as I understand. I am putting this forward to plucky individuals who might be interested in laying the foundations for starting a traditional Byzantine choir here. We are a hearty bunch, but deadly serious here, though and serve most of the offices in full typicon.

Portland ---Rents average about $700-800 ish depending on where you want to live --it is on the low end closer to the temple. Houses span about $200k +. I make about $36k and live modestly but not too badly. Gas prices are outrageous all over, don't get me started. Portland has one of the most progressive public transportation systems in the nation with a rapidly growing light rail/bus system, so getting around to most locales is never a problem at most reasonable hours. I work for Providence Health Systems which is a major regional healthcare employer and has a broad spectrum of positions outside of direct pt. care depending on your talents, skills, etc. Intel, Microsoft, Tektronics are all major tech sector employers.

Follow this link:http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-West/Portland-Economy.html if you are so interested

Ideally, I would like someone who can chant well both solo and chorally, who can fill in on the weekdays, and is amenable to a conservative Old Calendar community, who likes to teach and can share a potential load if needed. It's a good community -not without its problems, but a hearty bunch.

I know its a lot to ask of someone who is a "volunteer professional" such as myself. We're all pioneers out here --NorthWest, y'know. :wink:
 
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