On January 7, 2005, the Seminary Chorale, comprised of eleven members of the seminary community, embarked on their 2005 Winter Tour to Florida.  The chorale will visit twelve parishes in fourteen days traveling throughout Florida. 

Back row from left to right: Peter Drobac, Ksenia Danylevich, Eric Illif, Stephane Sollogoub, Mircea Geana
Front row from left to right: Ksenia Babich, Ann Campbell, Sarah Krajcik, Daniel Belonick, Charles Bruner

The Chorale performed their first concert at St Justin Martyr Orthodox Church in Jacksonville on the evening of January 7.  The parish enthusiastically welcomed the Chorale and provided dinner while local parishioners graciously opened their homes to the seminarians for the evening. 

St Vladimir’s student Ksenia Babich speaks to parishioners in Jacksonville about seminary life.  Each evening following the concert, seminarians speak about the seminary, including liturgical life, daily life, educational aspects, and financial matters, as well as providing the opportunity for parishioners to ask questions.

The OCMC staff took time to educate the seminarians about the ongoing mission work that the center orchestrates.  Here, OCMC staffer Maria Callas points out where missionaries are needed and have yet to be found. 

St Vladimir’s student Ksenia Danylevich reads the Six Psalms during Vigil at the Orthodox Church of St Stephen in Orlando.  The Chorale arrived in Orlando for Vigil on Saturday evening, followed by an evening with individual parishioners. 

Peter Drobac (MDiv/MA 04) directs the Seminary Chorale.  The Chorale, unlike previous SVS traveling choirs is larger and, for the first time, is a mixed group.
 

In addition to singing the responses at the services, the Seminary Chorale fully participates in the liturgical life of the hosting parishes.  St Vladimir’s student Stephane Sollogoub receives Holy Communion at St Stephens Orthodox Church in Orlando.
 

The Seminary Chorale travels with a SVS Press bookstore.  The traveling bookstore allows local parishioners to peruse the titles published by the Press.  Seminarians are available to help parishioners choose books to match interests.

The Three Tenors.  Seminarians Charles Bruner, Mircea Geana and Gregory Ealy perform during a concert held after Divine Liturgy at St Stephens Orthodox Church in Orlando.  The Seminary Chorale sings a concert at every parish that it visits, often singing hymns that are in a different style than what is commonly heard at the local parishes.

The Seminary Chorale performs in concert at St Stephens Orthodox Church in Orlando.  This concert emphasized the importance of the chant tradition in the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church.

Three women seminarians in the Chorale sing a selection during the concert in West Palm Beach.

From left to right: Ann Campbell, Sarah Krajcik, Ksenia Danylevich.

The Chorale poses with members of the clergy from the host parishes in West Palm Beach. Many of the priests whose parishes are sponsoring the Chorale on their 2005 Winter Tour are alumni of SVS.

St Vladimir's seminarian Mircea Geana is interviewed by Come Receive the Light (www.receive.org), an Orthodox radio program. Each member of the Chorale was asked to explain their calling to St Vladimir's Seminary.

Daniel Belonick takes a break from singing to enjoy the Atlantic Ocean in Ft Lauderdale. The weather in Florida has been a pleasant change for the seminarians who traveled from New York.

The SVS Chorale poses with Fr Christopher Metropulos of Come Receive the Light (www.receive.org) radio program. Fr Metropulos is also rector of St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Ft Lauderdale where the group sang the responses at a Vespers service, then gave a concert.

The Chorale sings during Vespers at St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church while Fr Christopher Metropulos serves. St Demetrios has the largest church dome in Florida and the chorale members enjoyed the acoustics which the dome provided.

Chorale member give a concert at St Demetrios Orthodox Church in Ft Lauderdale.

Chorale members enjoy a relaxing morning at Ft Lauderdale Beach. The 2005 Winter Tour has given these seminarians the opportunity to bond and form closer friendships.

Seminarians cool off in the Atlantic Ocean at Ft Lauderdale Beach during a morning off.

St Vladimir's alumni, Fr Alex Kouri and his parish, St George Cathedral in Coral Gables, graciously hosted the Seminary Chorale. Members sang responses to Vespers and concluded the evening with a concert program.

Seminarians Eric Iliff and Mircea Geana take a closer look at some SVS Press books. The Chorale has been travelling with a mobile bookstore of SVS Press books which are available for purchase after each concert.

 

Chorale members Eric Iliff and Ann Campbell help members of St George Cathedral find the SVS Press books they are looking for. 

St George Cathedral

Listen to a selection from the Chorale's repertoire sung on January 12: The Dogmatikon in Tone 2 (MP3 format).

St Vladimir's student Mircea Geana relaxes on the beach in Key Biscayne, Florida. Chorale members are grateful that several stops on their tour are in close proximity to each other, as it gives them a break from travelling and more time to explore their surroundings.

Peter Drobac, an alumnus of the seminary who is directing the Chorale, and seminarian Eric Iliff get some exercise after lunch in Key Biscayne.

Chorale members Charles Bruner, Eric Iliff, and Peter Drobac enjoy the warm ocean breeze in Key Biscayne.

Some Chorale members spend a day at the beach before traveling to Christ the Savior OCA Cathedral in Miami.

The Chorale sang responses to Vespers before giving a concert at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Miami. The Chorale was blessed to have His Grace, the Right Reverend MARK (Former Bishop of Boston, Orthodox Church in America) in attendance.

Seminarians Eric Iliff and Gregory Ealy assist local parishioners at the SVS Press traveling bookstore.

The Chorale poses for a photo with Fr Phillip Reese, rector of Christ the Savior Cathedral, His Grace, Bishop MARK, and Fr Justin Foster, associate priest. Bishop MARK and Fr Foster are alumni of SVS.