The healing power of music.: Ancient Byzantine (over 1000 years old music and chant dating back to the 5th century) monodic melodies for our age. This beautiful music has survived virtually UNCHANGED until this day. And we an access it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_music
I have a beautiful rich musical life ..a bit hectic at times but filled with amazing experiences I wish to share with others through this blog.
January 1, 2016. Who on planet Earth goes to a morning church service on New Year’s Day ? This is a question I get asked invariably, on New Year’s Eves when I mention that I need to get up early the next day. Of course I admit I asked myself this same question after the previous day of rehearsing, playing at a Greek wedding New Year’s Eve, and going to and singing at New Year’s Eve party(s) , up until 1:00. I wear several hats in the world of music, and get my fill often. I woke up this morning feeling crappy. My blood pressure was high and I had a headache combined with nausea. But I knew that the choir needed me to be there and I needed to get there somehow. I managed to drag myself out of bed, shower and make it to St. George’s, to play organ for my choir there.
Most mainstream Christians have little knowledge or understanding of our rich and ancient Orthodox past. I am still learning myself.
I have been playing organ at St. George Greek Orthodox Church for the past 6 years. It started out as a job, as economics times were rough for me at the time (remember I make my living as a musician) and I found it in an ad listing. They needed an organist. I had never entered an Orthodox church in my life, and was curious after a lifetime of playing piano and organ for nearly every denomination. I was hired immediately when they found that I was good at sight-reading the hand written (ancient sheetmusic and had much experience with choirs.
A musical manuscript of 1433 from Pantokratoros monastery:
220px-Musical_manuscript
It was completely foreign to me in the beginning, and quite stressful to follow along on organ, blending with the choir, amidst the complex interplay of Byzantine chanting of priest, cantor and choir. It has been a very gradual evolving journey from that stressful and unfamiliar organ playing time,6 years ago, to today, where I actually feel the physical as well as mental and spiritual effects of this wondrous, mysterious and ancient music on my body and soul. I literally can feel my blood pressure going down and at the same time I feel energized. Ever wake up with a hangover? Step into an Orthodox church some Sunday morning, soak in the beautiful energy and music and feel your health return. Phenomenal. To think for a moment I thought of not going and staying in bed. What a mistake that would have been. I stepped out renewed and positively energized to say the least.
January 1st in the church calendar, is actually an important Orthodox Christian holiday commemorating St. Basil the Great, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_of_Caesarea.
St. Basil was known as a father of the Christian church and for his ecumenical care of the poor and underprivileged ( which remains a tradition in the church to this day) “revealer of heavenly mysteries”
St. Basil
Over time, I have found my many hours playing music and meditating in this church to be a most fantastical springboard for my own creativity flow. It is not an accident that my life, creatively and artistically rich as it is, continues to flower since my entrance into this mysterious, holy and wondrous place, week to week. I am fortunate indeed.
Just sending out my deep love for this church, our wonderful St. George choir!
music flower blog 