Refreshed and rested, Day 8 began with the arranging of the choir in the Ascension church to bring out the best sound. The Soundmirror engineering team determined that the building had too much echo and, as such, had to reduce it to be less noticeable while still contributing to the overall sound. To avoid any impact to the church’s interior, wires were strung between windows and blankets hung over the wires, effectively creating a sound room but with the natural acoustics produced by the church’s architecture.

The day outside was typical of Jerusalem and that area of the world, HOT! The sun shown down on the Mount of Olives with it usual force.

As such the rehearsals had more frequent breaks so that the choir could hydrate and reduce the vocal strain while Soundmirror could adjust the sound to optimum recording standards. The recording’s producer, multi-Grammy winner, Blanton Alspaugh discussed the nuances with conductor, Ekaterina Antonenko, during those breaks.

The “dress rehearsal” day was complete and the Soundmirror team, along with Ms. Antonenko and singers, listened to the sample recordings in the makeshift control room that would, starting tomorrow, become the eventual CD itself.

The ensemble is now ready to lay down the final tracks for the CD.

Day 9 was another eventful day as the choir and the recording team recorded the first 5 pieces of the 15-piece repertoire. The work was difficult but fulfilling as the first tracks of the CD were completed.

Day 10 began with a panihida service, at the Trapeznaya Church on the grounds of the Eleon Monastery, to remember the 40th day of the repose of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. The solemn but heartwarming service was sung by the PaTRAM Men’s Choir and conducted by one of our own singers, Vadim Gan.

After the service, it was back to work for the choir and Soundmirror to record the next 5 tracks for the CD.

Day 11, the final day of recording for the team. Coupled with a little anxiety, the group was very optimistic that this final day would “seal the deal”, as they say, and bring to fruition all the hard work that went into this recording. Once the end was reached, the entire team (choir, staff and Soundmirror) all posed for a group photo next to the Ascension Church.

As wonderful as the choir was, as a whole, the soul of the group was their amazing Oktavist section. They’re the ones who provide the depth on this recording showcased under Ms. Antonenko’s direction.

All of this being said, it’s still not over! One more day is still to come. One more adventure to be had.

Day 4 was first of two BIG days for the choir because today was a performance day! Yes. Today there were no pilgrimages only the business of singing.

After 3 days of rehearsing, both at the Eleon Monastery and, yesterday, at the Notre Dame Hall the group was almost ready for performance.

Day 4 started with a nice breakfast at the hotel followed by a walk across the street to the sister property with the same name as our hotel, the Notre Dame Concert Hall.

There was lots of running around by the staff, preparing for the concert, while the ensemble was doing their sound check in preparation for the performance at 11am. An afternoon concert was not possible because the attending clergy would have had a difficult time getting back to their parishes and monasteries in time for their evening vigils as most start around 4pm, “monastery” time. Monasteries, in Jerusalem, do not recognize Daylight Savings Time and, therefore, run 1-hour EARLIER.

Although doors-open time was 10:45, people were gathering around the entrance of the theater an hour before performance time to get in. There was a real interest in see what the PaTRAM Male Choir™  was all about.

Finally, the audience was let in and seated.

The audience included many clergy including the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Holiness Theofilos III (front row center), who kindly gave His blessing to PaTRAM to perform in Jerusalem.

After the Hierarchy were acknowledged, the choir filed out on to the stage followed by their conductor, Maestro Ekaterina Antonenko.

Once the choir was on stage the emcee for the performance, PaTRAM CEO Tatiana Geringer, read her introduction of the group and noted the fact that this was an original arrangement of Rachmaninoff’s “All-Night Vigil” for Male Choir.

After the introduction, the choir began singing the Rachmaninoff masterpiece. As the choir began to sing “Bless the Lord, O My Soul”, baritone soloist Evgeny Kachurovsky took center stage to sing the very moving solo .

Shortly after Mr. Kachurovsky’s solo, the Male Choir’s other soloist, tenor Igor Morozov, took to center stage to sing the solo in “Gladsome Light”. Mr. Morozov would go on to sing solos in “Lord, Now Lettest Thou” and “Blessed Art Thou, O Lord”, later in the program.

The entire performance was brought together by the focused and determined efforts of Maestro Ekaterina Antonenko. Her emotional conducting of this masterpiece was clearly visible.

As the “All-Night Vigil” performance ended with a standing ovation and encore, Ms. Antonenko was presented with flowers by Fr. Roman Gultaev, PaTRAM’s local guide and logistics support person.

Once all the accolades were completed and the crowd began to leave, the choir assembled onstage to take photos with the clerical Hierarchs: His Holiness, Patriarch Theofilos III (center), His Grace, Bishop Theodosy of Seattle (left) and His Grace, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan (center).

Later that day, evening vigil was served at the Ascension Church (where the choir will be recording their CD next week). The administration of PaTRAM and several of the singers were invited to an excellent dinner with the Abbess of the Convent, Egumenia Varvara to celebrate the All-Saints Feast day and the Choir’s work at the Monastery.

Another exhausting but spiritually satisfying day!! But….it’s not over!

After many delays from COVID and other logistical issues over the past 2 years PaTRAM Institute has finally been able to begin their epic recording of Rachmaninoff’s “All Night Vigil” in Jerusalem, Israel. The new arrangement, for male choir, is the first ever recorded.

We will chronicle, in photos and text, on PaTRAM’s website and their social media outlets, the journey that began on June 15th, 2022 in Jerusalem.

After a harrowing day of travel from different cities around the world, all the singers came together in Jerusalem at the Notre Dame Hotel. A beautiful 19-century creation, it stands overlooking Jerusalem with great views of the old city right across the street. The singers and staff all gathered on the rooftop of the hotel with their guide, Fr. Roman Gultaev, who explained all the sites the group was seeing.

After taking photos and getting the lay of the land, the choir boarded a bus and were driven, across the city they just saw from a bird’s-eye view, up to the Mount of Olives where Jesus Himself walked. The group walked the sacred grounds of the Eleon monastery to the Ascension Church deep inside the fenced-in grounds.

The choir and staff were greeted by Archimandrite Roman Krassovsky, who heads the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem (ROCOR). Fr. Roman served a moleben to help the choristers in their quest.

The services were attended by Bishop Theodosy of Seattle and Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan both of whom traveled with the choir to pray for them and to support the mission of PaTRAM.

After the moleben the group was escorted by Father Roman Gultaev to the trapeznaya church just past the Ascension church where they sang the moleben.

The choir was seated in the arranged vocal groupings created by Maestro Ekaterina Antonenko, in her first conducting effort for PaTRAM.

At lunch, the group was visited by the Abbess Varvara in support of their efforts. So, despite the stress and strain of travel the prior day the choir was able to rehearse the full day and at the end of today, tired and hungry, they took the first steps toward a successful recording.

The day ended around 6:30 local time. Sore and tired, the choir diligently cleaned up after themselves, leaving the trapeznaya clean and tidy. They picked up their scores and backpacks and walked back to the waiting bus for the trip back to the Notre Dame to have dinner and relax.

They walked past the Ascension Church, where they will record the CD the following week, once again. The Church shined in its beauty from the top of the Mount of Olives looking over Jerusalem.

More to come tomorrow…