“Byzantine chant involves moving the larynx in a way that is not customary for Western singers,” says Boyer. “This style of singing produces a slightly nasal tone, somewhat like a drone, with a full, round vibrato. It shouldn’t be a thin nasal voice, but a richer tone with a lot of space behind it. It’s a vocal technique that allows for flexibility to sing in the cracks, microtonal intervals or ornaments that you can achieve by moving the larynx. It also allows you to sing for long periods of time without tiring, and that helps with Greek Orthodox services, which often last a long time.”