Now available from Cappella Romana Publishing is Samuel Herron’s The Divine Liturgy, the first complete English-language collection of all of the hymns for the Eucharistic service of the Orthodox Church, composed in Byzantine notation and employing the official translation of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, in one volume. In addition to Mr. Herron’s settings, the book includes elegant Byzantine compositions by Gabriel Cremeens, Phillip Phares, and Dr. Nicholas Roumas. The Divine Liturgy is the fourth book release from Cappella Romana Publishing (www.cappellaromana.org/publishing).
Geórgios Theodorídis, Archon Music Instructor of the Archdiocese and Master Chanter Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Washington, D. C., writes in the foreword: “The Divine Liturgy… honors our ancient musical heritage of the Psaltic Art… addressing and meeting the current needs of Orthodox parishes and faithful across the country.”
About Cappella Romana and Cappella Romana Publishing:
Beginning with 2023’s Byzantine Chant, The Received Tradition: A Lesson Book by John Michael Boyer (www.byzchantlessonbook.com), Cappella Romana Publishing produces high quality books for pastoral music ministry and chant education, as well as performing editions for our core repertories for other ensembles. Additional titles include Sun of Justice: Byzantine Chant for the Nativity of Our Lord by Boyer, and Kassianí: Christmas Vespers. Forthcoming titles include Mysteries: Byzantine Chant for Orthodox Sacraments (November 2024) and a collection of the choral works of Greek-American composer Peter Michaelides of blessed memory (fall 2024).
Cappella Romana is a professional vocal ensemble that performs early and contemporary sacred classical music in the Christian traditions of East and West. Founded in 1991, Cappella Romana’s name refers to the medieval Greek concept of the Roman oikoumene (inhabited world), which embraced Rome and Western Europe, as well as the Byzantine Empire of Constantinople (“New Rome”) and its Slavic commonwealth.
Cappella Romana’s leadership includes:
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His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, Honorary Chairman of the Board
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Dr. Alexander Lingas, Archon Mousikodidaskalos, Music Director and founder
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Mark Powell, Executive Director
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John Michael Boyer, Protopsaltis of the Metropolis of San Francisco, Associate Music Director
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John Paterakis of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York, President of the Board
About Samuel Herron:
Samuel is the Protopsáltis (First Cantor) and Director of Music Ministry at St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, NC, where he has served since 2023. Previous appointments include Protopsáltis of Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Scottsdale, AZ from 2018-2023, and Protopsáltis of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the New England Metropolis in Boston 2016-2017.
Samuel has performed with the Greek Byzantine Choir directed by Lycoúrgos Angelópoulos of blessed memory, the Archdiocesan Byzantine Choir directed by Protopsáltis Geórgios Theodorídis, Psaltikon Ensemble directed by Dr. Spýridon Antonópoulos, Cappella Romana directed by John Michael Boyer, and the Holy Cross St. Romanós the Melodist Byzantine Choir directed by Fr. Romanós Karános. He also teaches for the Archdiocese’s School of Byzantine Music, and is a co-founder of the Trisagion School of Byzantine Music (www.trisagionschool.org) with Gabriel Cremeens and Amy Hogg, an online music academy dedicated to teaching Byzantine music at all levels of ability.
Samuel began his study of Byzantine Music under Leonídas Kotsíris at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Nashville, Tennessee in 2002. In 2006, he spent three months studying under Lycoúrgos Angelópoulos of blessed memory, Árchon Protopsáltis of the Archdiocese of Constantinople, Protopsáltis of Agía Eiríni in Athens, and director of the Greek Byzantine Choir. From 2015-2017, he studied under Fr. Romanós Karános while attending Hellenic College Holy Cross, where he received his Certificate in Byzantine Music in 2015.
In July 2018, Samuel founded both the English Hyphos Project and its companion choir, the Dynamis Byzantine Ensemble, an initiative with the mission to produce high quality English language translations, musical settings, and recordings of Byzantine Chant. English Hyphos/Dynamis Ensemble’s releases include the CD releases The Hymns of Saint George and Bright Monday (2019), A Journey through Lent to Holy Week (2020), and The Mystic Pascha (2021), a single volume collection of English language chants for Easter.
Contact:
Richard Barrett, Director of Publications
(812)219-0286
Photo: Capella Romana.
