Curriculum

An Innovative Approach
The PaTRAM curriculum offers an innovative approach to music learning. Orthodox musicians often lead very busy lives apart from their work for the Church, and so enrolling in a conventional music program is simply not an option for many. Using a groundbreaking combination of private lessons via Skype, online virtual classrooms, guided independent study, certified third-party instruction, and regular summer master classes, the PaTRAM curriculum makes it possible for working church musicians to increase their God-given talents at their own pace, under the tutelage of some of the world’s foremost Orthodox professional musicians, and at a fraction of the cost of a conventional music program.

A Flexible Program
PaTRAM offers Orthodox church musicians training and mentorship in two areas of concentration: Choral Conducting and Voice. Within each of these areas are three levels of certification. Depending on your needs, prior experience, and motivation, you can progress through all three levels, or you can stop at whichever level you feel best meets your goals.

When you apply for the PaTRAM Institute, you will be asked to take an entrance exam to determine where in the program you will be best served. If you are a musician with a high level of experience, then, in addition to taking the entrance exam, you will also have the option of taking Level 1 and/or Level 2 exams and achieve advanced standing. On the other hand, if you are only just beginning your musical studies and have difficulty with the entrance exam, you can request to be enrolled in our Introduction to Musicianship course where our instructors will help you gain the skills necessary for entering Level 1. Wherever you are in the development of your musical vocation, PaTRAM can offer you exciting opportunities for growth.

The online classroom portions of our program are offered at regular intervals during the course of the academic year. Classes are recorded and can be downloaded if you are unable to attend a live session for some reason. Additionally, Skype lessons and third-party private lessons can usually be tailored to fit your schedule. Aural examinations, juries, and face-to-face instruction are all scheduled in conjunction with our regular summer master classes.