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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 (9) 🌐 Translate comments

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

Ce cours a l’air vraiment concret, surtout la dernière vidéo où Ray Romanos Herman fait l’échauffement avec son vrai chœur à St. Ephraim. Comme je dirige parfois les chants à la paroisse quand l’organiste est absente, je me dis que voir comment il gère des gens fatigués après le travail pourrait m’être utile. Je vais regarder les dates pour m’inscrire.

Marie Martin

Oui, cette dernière vidéo avec le chœur de St. Ephraim me semble bien pratique aussi. J’ai déjà vu des choristes arriver épuisés après leur journée, et un bon échauffement change tout. Tu comptes t’inscrire pour le Zoom ou seulement regarder les vidéos ?

Rémi Martin

Oui, l’échauffement avec le chœur de St. Ephraim est vraiment concret, on voit tout de suite comment ça détend les voix fatiguées. Moi je vais suivre les vidéos d’abord, et je m’inscrirai au Zoom seulement si j’arrive à libérer le soir. Toi, tu as déjà essayé ces exercices avec tes chanteurs au collège ?

Marius Florea

Da, Teodora, ultimul video cu încălzirea reală la corul lui de la St. Ephraim mi se pare cel mai folositor. La noi în Constanța, după o zi lungă la restaurant, cântăreții vin la fel de obosiți, așa că exercițiile simple și practice contează cel mai mult. Te-ai înscris deja sau mai aștepți puțin?

Isabelle Martin

Oui, cet échauffement final avec le chœur de St. Ephraim est vraiment utile, on voit tout de suite les épaules qui se relâchent. Je n’ai pas encore testé les exercices au collège cette année, mais je compte le faire avec mes sopranos qui arrivent souvent enrouées après les cours. Tu penses que les vidéos seules suffisent pour commencer ou il vaut mieux suivre les Zoom en même temps ?