PaTRAM Institute™ – 2022 The Year In Review
Thanks to YOUR support, 2022 was a REALLY BIG YEAR for PaTRAM Institute™! We are delighted to share our 2022 Year in Review success stories and invite you to celebrate our collective accomplishments. We are also gearing up for an exciting 2023, chock-full of music, inspiring projects and new partnerships!
The year 2022 began with a festive and well attended Blini and Black Caviar Fundraising Dinner and Concert in the Synod Mansion in NYC. Guests were “wowed” by flavored vodka tasting, delicious hors d’ oeuvres, a gourmet dinner and a wonderful concert performed by the talented Osanna Chamber Ensemble. The fundraiser supported PaTRAM’s most exceptional project to date – the Rachmaninoff “All-Night Vigil” recording and concert tour in the HOLY LAND, as well as scholarships for young singers and conductors.
In June, the long-awaited Rachmaninoff project came to fruition, bringing together professional choristers from across the globe to record and perform an original rearrangement for male choir of Rachmaninoff’s masterwork in Jerusalem, Israel. Read all about the incredible journey and our plans to release the recording in 2023 in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s birth.
We are truly delighted to share the highlights of our young singer/conductor educational programs; the rapid expansion of PaTRAM’s digital music footprint into new markets and platforms across the globe; the ICMA nomination of the “More Honourable than the Cherubim” album and so much more!
We hope you enjoy PaTRAM’s 2022 Year in Review that YOU made possible. Keep reading to get a glimpse into our exciting plans for 2023 and learn how, together, we will continue to touch the lives of people across the globe with the eternal and transformative power of music!
Our guests experienced the finest in Russian hospitality at the Producers Circle Dinner Fundraiser held in February in the historic ROCOR Mansion in NYC! Attendees were treated to a Russian Blini & Caviar “Maslenitsa” celebration and a very special private concert by the Osanna Chamber Ensemble in the Cathedral.
Donations benefited scholarships and support for aspiring young singers, conductors, and choirs and the 2022 Rachmaninoff “All-Night Vigil” concert tour and recording in the Holy Land. Several generous donors provided life-changing opportunities, by giving the “Gift of Musical Excellence,” which allowed talented, amateur singers to participate in the 2022 professional recording and concert tour in Israel. Those guests, who became Associate Executive Producers, were afforded the unique chance to accompany PaTRAM™ on the journey of a lifetime to the center of Christianity – the Holy City of Jerusalem!
It was a festive evening of music, delicious food and drink, laughter and fun. Many thanks to our donors and guests for generously supporting our musical endeavors and to His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas and Synod for offering the beautiful venue for the event.
We would love to have YOU join us at our next event! Stay tuned for announcements for 2023 concerts and benefits.
Jerusalem, the cradle of Christianity and the zenith of religious and historical destinations in the world, was the site of PaTRAM’s most exciting project to date!
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO COMPLETE THE FINAL PHASE OF THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT! READ ON AND PLEASE GIVE NOW!
The journey to bring the Rachmaninoff project to fruition was long and fraught with challenges. The pandemic and world events had us searching the globe for a safe and spiritually inspiring location, open to all our singers, staff and participants. Just when we thought we could move forward with the project, borders would close. However, we knew that by the Grace of God, a door would surely open, and we pressed on.
We never dreamed that we would receive the ultimate blessing of performing, recording and praying in the holiest of the holy places on earth – JERUSALEM! However, this was clearly meant to be. As the pandemic eased, Israel opened for travel and did not require visas for any of our 70 travelers, hailing from the US, Canada, Australia, Serbia and Russia. And so, the first of its kind, CONCERT TOUR and LANDMARK RECORDING OF RACHMANINOFF’S MASTERPIECE, THE “ALL-NIGHT VIGIL,” uniting 52 members of the GRAMMY nominated PaTRAM Institute Male Choir, under the leadership of Maestro Ekaterina Antonenko, to sing an original rearrangement for male choir, became a beautiful reality.
In Maestro Ekaterina Antonenko’s first collaboration with PaTRAM, the gifted conductor was able to elicit splendid and soulful singing from the ensemble. Under her direction, the individual members of the choir, many of whom had never sung together, seamlessly united as one whole. Maestro Antonenko’s creativity and deep understanding of the subtle intricacies of the music had an outstanding impact on the singing. The effect was profound, bringing the listener from the chaos of the world into the spiritual realm, where the eternal light of Christ shines through the night.
The Russian Orthodox Monastery Church of the Ascension, set atop the Mount of Olives, was the serene and acoustically rich venue for the recording. Once again, PaTRAM partnered with GRAMMY winning recording company, Soundmirror, to record the CD and ensure a glorious sound.
Thanks to the steadfast support and warm hospitality of Archimandrite Roman Krassovsky, Chief of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, and Abbess Varvara and the sisters of the Church of the Ascension, PaTRAM was able to realize this incredible musical project. His Eminence, the newly enthroned Metropolitan Nicholas, First Hierarch of ROCOR and His Grace Bishop Theodosy of Seattle accompanied our group, serving as our spiritual fathers, conserving liturgies and supporting our endeavor.
The concerts in Jerusalem and Nazareth were simply inspirational. Seated among people of many faiths, nationalities and cultures, we experienced the depth and majesty of our common language – music. Patrons were mesmerized, uplifted and brought to tears.
Rachmaninoff’s crowning achievement of spiritual artistry, sung by PaTRAM’s all-male choir in the cradle of Christianity, is arguably the pinnacle of our work thus far.
The year 2023 marks the 150th anniversary year of Sergei Rachmaninoff. PaTRAM and our partners are working hard to prepare the album for release in the coming months, and we need your help to complete the final phase of the project.
The final step before our label can release the Rachmaninoff “All-Night Vigil” recording is the mastering of the music. This is an extremely meticulous process to ensure the sound is clean and devoid of any extraneous noise, like barking dogs or honking horns. All PaTRAM albums are recorded in beautiful and spiritually elevating church venues as opposed to cold studio settings.
PaTRAM is currently raising funds through GoFundMe to be able to complete this final phase and bring the music to you. The time is running short! Our goal is to release the album for the Rachmaninoff anniversary next year.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO COMPLETE THE FINAL PHASE OF THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT! Please GIVE and SUPPORT this very important project!
Your 2022 donations provided opportunities for aspiring church musicians and youth choirs to improve the skills, critical to beautiful and prayerful singing, through education, training and live concerts. Your support allows PaTRAM to provide the best professional instruction to those students who are yearning to learn the art of church music. In 2022, members of the up-and-coming Osanna Chamber Ensemble were the recipients of your generosity and as a result have leveled up their techniques and overall abilities. We can already hear the positive change in their sound.
Would you like to preserve and cultivate the music of the Orthodox Church for generations to come? Please consider making a tax-deductible special contribution to PaTRAM so we can continue to support young, aspiring singers, conductors, and choirs.
To give the gift of music, please DONATE.
Thank you for YOUR continued support!
THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT, the PaTRAM music community continues to exponentially expand! From Australia to Pakistan; Argentina to Singapore; and Nigeria to Ukraine, the universal language of PaTRAM music is understood by people of all nations.
As our digital footprint rapidly expands into new markets and platforms across the globe, new and devoted listeners alike are enjoying all our recordings on popular platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and Amazon as well as lesser-known platforms, like Qobuz and Primephonics. Our longtime partnership with GRAMMY winning Soundmirror means the music for both, the PaTRAM Institute Male Choir™ and the PaTRAM Institute Singers™, is impeccably mastered to showcase the soul-stirring sound of our talented ensembles. If you still love the effect of PaTRAM music on CD, all our albums are available everywhere music is sold. Keep your eye out for our Christmas Special for gifts for all the music lovers on your list.
Beautiful sacred music is the perfect genre to listen to any time to bring you peace and inspiration and reduce the stress of the day. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to see special concerts and even get sneak peeks into new music!
Click to learn more.
The PaTRAM Institute Male Choir™ album, “More Honourable than the Cherubim”, is a 2022 International Classical Music Awards Nominee! We are deeply honored to receive a nomination in the Choral category from the ICMA, a prestigious global music organization. The International Classical Music Awards recognize creativity, imagination in choice of repertoire and artistic excellence. Bravo to our talented singers and everyone who gave their very best to create this extraordinary recording!
For a sample of the music or to purchase the CD or digital download, please listen and enjoy.
Beloved and admired by his flock as a kind, humble and wise shepherd, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas has become the guiding light of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
Vladyka Nicholas is a longtime and active supporter of PaTRAM Institute. We were greatly honored and blessed to have His Eminence accompany our choir on two of our recent projects.
In 2019, with the special permission and blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, of blessed memory, the Kursk Root Mother of God of the Sign Icon, with Vladyka Nicholas as her guardian and primary caretaker, traveled with the PaTRAM Institute Male Choir to Saratov™, Russia to record the “More Honourable than the Cherubim” album, perform a concert and sing services. During our time in Saratov, more than 18,000 believers, and those new to the faith, venerated the holy and magnificent Wonderworking Kursk Root icon.
This past June Vladyka Nicholas accompanied the PaTRAM Male Choir to the Holy Land. The PaTRAM Choir was blessed to sing hierarchical liturgies celebrated by His Eminence at the Ascension monastery church, St. Mary Magdalene monastery church in Gethsemane and even at Golgotha in the complex of the Holy Sepulchre. Vladyka blessed our group in the Jordan River, served a moleben and panikhida on Mount Tabor and, along with His Grace Bishop Theodosy of Seattle, was our spiritual father throughout our journey in the holiest of holy.
May God grant many blessed years to our dear Metropolitan Nicholas!
Thanks to YOU, our listeners, supporters, donors and well-wishers, much has been accomplished in 10 short years.
With five professional recordings and a sixth to be released in 2023; two Grammy Award nominations; international performance events; sponsorships, scholarships and educational programs for aspiring singers, conductors and choirs, the results of our collective efforts are significant. Our community continues to grow, with PaTRAM music inspiring more church musicians and reaching more listeners every day.
We salute the Co-Founders of PaTRAM Institute, Chairman and oktavist, Alexis Lukianov and the “heart of PaTRAM”, alto and Artistic Director, Katya Lukianov, for their vision, their generous financial support via the Lukianov Family Foundation and their enthusiasm and commitment to further the music of the Church. We offer our sincere gratitude to everyone who has shared their talents and given the very best of themselves to create the music that stirs the soul and glorifies God.
BRAVO to all!
However, we cannot simply rest on our laurels. There is so much more to do! Are you ready for an extraordinary 2023?
Together, we can introduce more people around the world to the beauty and splendor of Orthodox music!
We remain keenly dedicated to and inspired by our mission to foster and preserve the authentic and original splendor of Russian Orthodox choral music together with its astounding spiritual depth, in both the English and Slavonic languages.
To further our mission and spread beautiful, liturgical music throughout the world, in 2023, PaTRAM will focus on supporting the execution and advancement of Russian Orthodox music at the highest possible level. Our initiatives will include:
- Developing new choirs
- Collaborating and partnering with choirs and communities
- Supporting promising youth choirs
- Community outreach and mentoring program
GET READY FOR LIVE MUSIC EVENTS!
If you have been following the Osanna Chamber Ensemble, you have seen a choir truly blossom! Thanks to the dedication and determination of John Arlievsky, the choir director, and the talented members of the ensemble, the choir has achieved a very high level of prayerful and precise execution of liturgical music. PaTRAM has been delighted by their progress and honored to assist the eager, young musicians in their quest to improve their skills and hone their talents.
With the ongoing support of PaTRAM, Osanna has big plans for 2023, which include:
- An exciting multi-project Concert Series;
- Developing culturally, academically and spiritually engaging projects in cooperation with the Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY;
- An outreach program to mentor and inspire the next generation of young church musicians and build new youth choirs.
We are looking forward to supporting and partnering with Osanna as well as watching new youth choirs emerge and grow.
Dates and locations for the Osanna Chamber Ensemble LIVE CONCERT SERIES and other events are under development and will be announced shortly. Stay tuned!
PaTRAM Institute and the Synodal Choir, based in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in NYC, are forming a unique partnership with the goal of promoting liturgical music in its highest form and furthering the traditions and practices of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad to have a far-reaching missionary impact throughout the diaspora. We are very excited to collaborate with the Synodal Choir and Orthodox communities to share the very best of our musical traditions.
More information about projects, concerts and benefits is forthcoming.
And speaking of communities, the Orthodox community at St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon in Pompano Beach, Florida is growing! Our own, PaTRAM Artistic Director, Katya Lukianov, has taken the lead as conductor and has been working with St. Luke’s to expand and cultivate the choir. Katya has a notable history of building choirs and fostering beautiful, prayerful singing. PaTRAM looks forward to continuing to support St. Luke’s Choir and the Orthodox community in Florida. If you are in the area, the rector and parishioners of St. Luke’s welcome you to participate in services and events. St. Luke Church.
Throughout the year 2023, the musical world will celebrate the anniversary of the incomparable, creative genius, Sergei Rachmaninoff – Russian composer, virtuoso pianist and conductor. PaTRAM plans to release his most beloved masterpiece, the “All-Night Vigil”, originally written in 1915 as World War I raged, and Russia was on the verge of the Bolshevik Revolution. We hope Rachmaninoff’s sublime and introspective music will be embraced as listeners experience the depth, complexity and sheer majesty of the human voice glorifying the Creator.
You are completely free to choose the project that YOU would like to support!
Is it the extraordinary Rachmaninoff “All-Night Vigil” album? Click to GIVE.
Perhaps you prefer to support promising church musicians with educational programs? Click to GIVE.
Whatever you choose, rest assured that 100% of YOUR donation goes toward the project(s) that YOU would like to support, thanks to the Lukianov Family Foundation which covers all administrative costs.
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We look forward to seeing YOU in 2023!
Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy and happy New Year!
Tatiana Geringer, CEO, PaTRAM Institute
