Chanting in Washington, DC?

[RichardRBarrett]

Hi,

I'll be spending a month in Washington, DC during June doing the Dumbarton Oaks Byzantine Greek Summer School. Does anybody have any suggestions about churches that are good for chanting in the area?

Thanks,

Richard

 

[RichardRBarrett]

Anyone? Bueller?

 

[Nikolaos Giannoukakis]

There were some reports that St-Sophia had (or was in the process of) hiring a young person from Greece (Theocharidis is the last name I believe), but as of recently, I don't know if this has been realised.

St-Sophia has a rich tradition of Byzantine chant. For more than 25 years, it was blessed by the unparalleled talent of the gifted Harilaos Papapostolou of blessed memory. Then, Stelios Kontakiotis (currently the Protopsaltis of the Shrine of the Annunciation on the island of Tinos) graced the analogion for a number of years. The Very Rev. Frs. Tavlarides and Zorzos are very sensitive and receptive to traditional Byzantine chant.

NG

 

[apostolos]

The new chanter at St. Sophia in Washington, DC is a fellow by the name of Georgios Theodorides. Unfortunately, he is still not there. I believe there is an immigration holdup.

Fr. Steve (Sergios) Zorzos is now the Proistamenos of the parish, and Fr. John Tavlarides has retired, although he is now Priest Emeritus.

Apostolos

 

[RichardRBarrett]

How might I get in touch with Fr. Steve Zorzos? He doesn't seem to have an e-mail address listed on the cathedral website, and in general I've had a very difficult time getting in touch with anybody there. Thank you!

 

[RichardRBarrett]

Anybody have anything at all? I've sent two e-mails to the office e-mail address that's on the website and gotten no answer, and then the person I was put in touch with via another means gave me a name (Fotini Serbanos), no contact information, and then did not reply when I asked how I might contact this person.

What's with the wall of silence around that place?

 

[Reader Nick]

Christ is Risen!
I just got an e-mail that said that he arrived for Palm Sunday and here's the flyer:
http://www.saintsophiawashington.org/library/Chanter_flyer.pdf

I intend to get in touch with him myself, so if I find out how, I'll let you know.

The e-mail I received was forwarded from: office@saintsophiawashington.org
I don't know if that will help...

Maybe, now that it's after Pascha, they will be more responsive...

-Nick

 

[RichardRBarrett]

Thanks, Nick. I'll try that office e-mail address again and see what I get. In the meantime, let me know if you have any success.

Richard

 

[RichardRBarrett]

Still no answer. I've tried with the office e-mail address as well as both priests. The one person I did get an answer back from was evidently the person in charge of the music in the absence of a permanent protopsaltis, and she made it clear she didn't want to talk about it or help me contact anyone. This is all very strange to me.