The PaTRAM™ SINGER SPOTLIGHT SERIES Continues!

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This week the PaTRAM spotlight focuses on Dr. Jason Thoms, whose vocal range runs from baritone to bass to oktavist, and he appears on the PaTRAM Institute Singers’ recording of “Blessed Art Thou among Women”. Dr. Thoms is, currently, the Director of Choral Activities at Bismarck State College in Bismarck, ND.

Dr. Thoms comes with impressive resume of accomplishments. In addition to being a professional singer, he also is an accomplished conductor, teacher and published composer. He has conducted choral ensembles around the world and has performed at Carnegie Hall, as a soloist, not once but FOUR times! We highly recommend visiting Dr. Thoms’ website as his resume is too long to list here.

 

Please enjoy this wonderful video clip of Dr. Thoms singing “Weep You No More”, by John Dowland.

The PaTRAM™ SINGER SPOTLIGHT SERIES Continues!

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Cue the spotlight and shine it directly on Michael Hawes! Michael, Bass-Baritone Singer and Trumpet player, is a member of Chicago based Axiom Brass, is the newly appointed Music Director at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Chicago, and tours around the world singing and playing with groups such as Axiom Brass, the PaTRAM Institute Choirs, Seraphic Fire, the Clarion Choir, St. Tikhon’s Choir, Skylark and more.

Michael said, “It is such an honor to sing with my wonderful and esteemed colleagues in the PaTRAM organization, and has been a huge highlight of my musical life these last several years. Most recently, a concert and recording tour to Saratov, Russia was a thrilling and deeply spiritual experience. Thank you PaTRAM!”

Michael has performed with PaTRAM choirs on three CDs:

  • “The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom”
  • “Blessed Art Thou among Women”
  • “More Honorable than the Cherubim” (coming very soon)

Michael would like to share with us a piece called, “Dawn’s Awakening”, by Florence Price. To read more about Michael, please take a look at his website, michaelhawesmusic.com.

The PaTRAM™ SINGER SPOTLIGHT SERIES Continues!

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This week the spotlight shines squarely on Glenn Miller, oktavist, who appears on the PaTRAM Institute Singers’ recordings of “The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom” and “Blessed Art Thou among Women” which were released in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Glenn hails from Michigan and is in very high demand for his amazing LOW vocals. Truly, unique.

Glenn began his professional career singing with the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, most notably recording the Rachmaninoff “Vespers” as well as numerous other recordings. He went on to sing in many different choirs around the United States including Clarion (NY), Skylark (Boston), Capella Romana (Portland), Yale Choral Artists (New Haven, CT), Conspirare (Austin), TX), St. Tikhon’s Chamber Choir (Pennsylvania) and many, many more.

Amongst numerous recordings with Conspirare, its recording, “The Sacred Spirit of Russia,” on which he was a featured soloist, performing the Chesnokov “Do Not Reject Me in My Old Age,” won the 2014 the Grammy award for Best Choral Recording. He, also, wrote the chapter, “Reflections of an American Choral Oktavist” which was included in the book, “Conducting Men’s Choirs,” published in 2020. As though there weren’t enough accomplishments already, he is Director of Music and Organist at Kirk in the Hills, Bloomfield Hills, MI, where he directs the church’s professional adult choir and boys’ and girls’ choirs and an extensive musical outreach program of concerts, video productions, and recitals.

In addition to Glenn’s aforementioned award-winning Chesnokov piece, we invite you to hear Glenn singing, with Cappella Romana, “Lord Have Mercy” by Tchaikovsky.

The PaTRAM™ SINGER SPOTLIGHT SERIES Continues!

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Cue the PaTRAM™ spotlight on Milan Acimovic, bass, who appears on the PaTRAM Institute Male Choir’s recording of “More Honorable than the Cherubim” which was recorded in Saratov, Russia in 2019 and is scheduled for release later this year. “Mika” hails from Bosnia and has been a critical contributor to PaTRAM’s planning of this year’s Rachmaninoff “All-Night Vigil” tour and CD recording in Serbia. His efforts on the ground there have played a key role in making this event a reality.

Mika is the Chief Conductor of the Belgrade City Choir in Serbia. He is also an orchestral conductor and a professional singer in his own right. But his talents run the gamut of responsibilities including music director of the International Belgrade Choir Festival, program manager of various musical events in Serbia and even work in pop bands on keyboards and backup vocals. A man of all musical trades!

Please watch this clip of Milan singing an excerpt he arranged from “Testament” by Rajko Maksinovic and based on text by Bishop Petar Petrovic Njegos. Also, enjoy watching Milan’s conducting skills on display in this clip of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 3”, Fourth Movement.

 

The PaTRAM™ SINGER SPOTLIGHT SERIES Continues!

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This week the PaTRAM spotlight shines on Seth Davidenko, oktavist, who appears on the PaTRAM Institute Male Choir’s recording of “More Honorable Than the Cherubim” which was recorded in Saratov, Russia in 2019 and is scheduled for release later this year. Seth, a Canadian, is a reader and singer at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Toronto, Ontario.

Seth graduated from the Synodal School of Liturgical Music in 2015 then completed his Bachelor’s Degree at the Holy Trinity Seminary (HTS) in 2018 and is now working on his Master’s Degree from HTS. Occasionally, Seth conducts the choir at his home parish as well as at the Holy Trinity Monastery. All this experience was essential in his earning a place in PaTRAM’s choirs which employ a rigorous selection process for non-professional singers and provide amateurs the opportunity to sing with a Grammy-nominated, professional choir.

Please watch this clip of Seth singing “The Beggar”, by Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov and accompanied by Laurie Jeanne Crockett on piano.