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NEW CLASS: “Vocal Technique for Choirs” Launches This Semester, Registration Opens for All Online Music Classes Offered by the OCA Music Department

September 3, 2026 · 1 min read

The OCA Department of Liturgical Music and Translations is pleased to offer a brand new class intended for church choir directors—“Vocal Technique for Choirs.” The full title of the course explains its intent and scope: Teaching Your Choir to Sing Well: Beautifying Worship Through Improved Choral Tone .

This course presents, in accessible, non-technical terms, a physiologically and acoustically based approach to teaching choir members to produce a more beautiful, healthy, and unified choral tone in support of Orthodox worship.

The course consists of nine video sessions, complemented by weekly Zoom sessions with the instructor. Participants will explore the three principal components of the singing voice and learn practical exercises designed to strengthen and develop each one. Particular emphasis will be placed on techniques that choir directors can apply directly in rehearsals with singers of varying levels of experience. The final video will demonstrate these techniques in practice through a vocal warm-up and voice-building session conducted by the instructor with his own Orthodox church choir.

About the Instructor: Ray Romanos Herman is Director of Music at St. Ephraim…

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💬 Comments (11) 🌐 Show original

Margaret Collins

Sounds like a practical class—those weekly Zoom sessions with the instructor could really help directors like me who aren't pros. The part about the final video showing a real warm-up with his own choir at St. Ephraim caught my eye; I'd love to see how those exercises play out in an actual rehearsal. Registration is open now, right?

Stephen King

The part about the final video with Ray Romanos Herman actually warming up his own choir at St. Ephraim is what sold me. I've sat through plenty of theory classes that never showed the real rehearsal mess, so seeing it done live with regular singers could be the most useful part. Might sign up myself.

Teodora Ionescu

Mă bucur că ultimul video arată o încălzire vocală reală cu corul lui de la St. Ephraim. Eu, care cânt de ani buni la strană fără să fiu profesionistă, știu cât de greu e să aplici exerciții teoretice cu oameni obosiți după serviciu. O să mă înscriu, poate ajută și la noi la Chișinău.

Юлія Коваленко

Звучать цікаво, особливо той останній відео, де Рей Романоc Герман проводитиме розігрів зі своїм реальним хором у St. Ephraim. Я теж не професіоналка, просто співаю в нашому вінницькому храмі, і часто бачу, як люди після роботи приходять втомлені. Подивлюся, може запишуся на ці Zoom-зустрічі, щоб спробувати щось подібне на наших репетиціях.

Pierre Girard

This course looks really concrete, especially the last video where Ray Romanos Herman does the warm-up with his real choir at St. Ephraim. As I sometimes lead the singing at the parish when the organist is away, I tell myself that seeing how he handles tired people after work could be useful to me. I will look at the dates to register.

Marie Martin

Yes, this last video with the choir of St. Ephraim seems very practical to me too. I have already seen choristers arrive exhausted after their day, and a good warm-up changes everything. Are you planning to sign up for Zoom or just watch the videos?

Rémi Martin

Yes, the warm-up with the choir of St. Ephraim is really concrete, you can immediately see how it relaxes tired voices. I'm going to follow the videos first, and I'll sign up for Zoom only if I can free up the evening. Have you already tried these exercises with your singers in college?

Marius Florea

Yes, Teodora, the last video of the actual warm-up in the choir of St. I find Ephraim the most useful. Here in Constanța, after a long day at the restaurant, the singers come just as tired, so simple and practical exercises matter the most. Have you already signed up or are you waiting a little longer?

Isabelle Martin

Yes, this final warm-up with the choir of St. Ephraim is really useful, you can immediately see the shoulders relax. I haven't yet tested the exercises in college this year, but I plan to do so with my sopranos who often arrive hoarse after class. Do you think that videos alone are enough to start or is it better to follow Zoom at the same time?

Yes, this warm-up with the choir of St. Ephraim also struck me, especially the way he relaxes the jaws without straining. I haven't tested in college yet this year, but I'm going to start with videos like you. Do you still direct the school choir on Wednesday evenings?

Sophie Moreau

Yes, this warm-up with the choir of St. Ephraim also struck me, you can see the shoulders dropping from the first bars. For the videos alone, I think they are enough to start and test the exercises with your hoarse sopranos, but the Zooms really help to correct the details live. Are you planning to do them anyway?