← News feed Romanian Orthodox Church

The International Masterclass of Byzantine Singing has begun from lași: Through prayer and singing, we know the Lordtranslated

July 14, 2026 · 1 min read

The 19th edition of the International Byzantine Singing Masterclass debuted on Monday in the "Iustin Moisescu" hall of the Iași Metropolitan Ensemble, bringing together teachers, researchers, protopsalts and students from several countries.

At the opening of the event, the Most Reverend Father Nichifor Botoșaneanul, the Vicar Bishop of the Archdiocese of Iasi, conveyed the blessing message of the Most Reverend Father Teofan, the Metropolitan of Moldova and Bucovina, which highlighted the role of church singing in spiritual life and its power to unite believers from different places.

"Through prayer and singing, we know the Lord, we are enriched in the Lord and we understand that the Lord works in history and in our days," the message sent to the participants states.

The beauty of church singing The event also included a concert performed by the "Mini Byzantion" Children's Choir. Photo credit: Doxologia.ro / Irina Ursachi The artistic director of the Masterclass, lecturer Adrian Sârbu, emphasized that the event has become, throughout the 19 editions, more than a program of courses and conferences.

"The Masterclass is no longer just a sequence of courses,...

Source: Агентство Basilica (română) · Read the full story →

⚑ Report

💬 Comments (9) 🌐 Translate comments

Photini Campbell

Sounds like a great gathering in Iași. The kids' choir "Mini Byzantion" must have been something special to hear live. Our parish choir always says the same thing the Metropolitan quoted: you really do come to know the Lord through the singing.

Laura Baker

Our parish choir here in Chicago says exactly the same thing. The “Mini Byzantion” kids must have brought the house down; I always find children singing Byzantine chant especially moving. Did you ever attend one of these masterclasses yourself?

Ruth Thomas

Our choir in Chicago sings a lot of the same pieces, and you're right, the kids always steal the show. I went to the Iași masterclass back in 2018 and it was worth every penny, especially the evening rehearsals. Have you thought about bringing a small group from your parish next year?

Katherine Johnson

Our parish choir here in Dallas has sung some of those same pieces too, and I always tell the parents the children end up being the best part of any concert. I’ve never been to the Iași masterclass but your mention of the evening rehearsals makes me curious; what was one thing you learned there that you still use every Sunday?

Grace Turner

Our kids’ choir does the same thing here in Portland — the little ones steal the show every time. One practical thing I brought back from Iași and still use every Sunday is how Adrian Sârbu taught us to keep the ison really steady and low so the melody can float on top without pushing; it’s made our chanting feel calmer and more prayerful. Have you tried adjusting your ison volume with the children’s voices?

Matthew Adams

Our kids' choir here at St. Herman's in Dallas does the same—those little voices cut right through and everyone smiles. I tried lowering the ison like Adrian showed last year and it really does keep things calmer, especially with the ten-year-olds who tend to push sharp. How do you handle it when the boys start competing with each other on volume?

George Evans

Our kids' choir back in Boston does the same—parents always say the little ones steal the show. I learned from those Iași rehearsals to breathe together on the long melismas instead of rushing them; it keeps us from dragging on Sunday mornings. Have you tried that with your group in Dallas?

That's a good point about breathing together on the melismas. Our little choir here in Chicago does something similar with the kids on longer phrases, and it really helps them stay steady instead of speeding up. Do the Boston parents ever record the rehearsals so the kids can hear how the breathing sounds later?

James Campbell

That's interesting how you handle the longer phrases with the kids in Chicago. We don't record our rehearsals here in Ottawa, but I sometimes ask the parents to sit in the back and just listen quietly so they can remind the little ones at home about the breathing spots. Does that steady them better than a recording would?