Ethos & Yphos

In this episode of Ethos & Yphos, we speak with the Rev. Fr. Peter Samore about the responsibility of chanters to understand not only what they are chanting, but why it is appointed within the worship of the Church. This conversation explores the central role of the Typikon in shaping the liturgical services and the importance of forming chanters who are attentive to the structure, theology, a...

In this special episode of Ethos & Yphos, Patrick Haddad, the director of Sons of Antioch, shares the story of his life in Byzantine chant, from his earliest experiences growing up in the Church in Ain Dara, Lebanon, to his years of study, formation, teaching, and service. Patrick reflects on learning chant from a young age, his years with the SEM choir of Mount Lebanon and the Theotokos choir...

Episode 7 of Ethos & Yphos explores what chanters mean when they speak of the "classical Greek repertoire" and examines the development of Byzantine chant compositions in the English language. Joining us for this conversation is Kamal Hourani, chanter, teacher, translator, and, most importantly, member of the Sons of Antioch. Kamal is a graduate of Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodo...

Episode 6 of Ethos & Yphos features a conversation with Rev. Fr. John (Rassem) El Massih, a priest, teacher, and lifelong servant of Byzantine sacred music. Fr. John currently serves as Proistamenos of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Washington DC. Prior to his priesthood, he was a traveling Deacon for Metropolitan Philip (of Thrice Blessed Memory) and Metropolitan Joseph, where he pl...

Episode 5 of Ethos & Yphos features a rich and wide-ranging conversation with Photini Downie Robinson, Protopsaltria at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Portland, Oregon, soloist with Cappella Romana, and faculty of the Synaxis of Orthodox Women Byzantine Cantors. As a classically trained vocalist and current student of pastoral theology, Photini brings a uniquely integrated perspectiv...

Episode 4 of Ethos & Yphos features a wide-ranging conversation with Joseph Yazbeck, founder of the SEM (School of Ecclesiastical Music) Choir of Mount Lebanon and composer of over 20,000 pages of Byzantine music. As the founder of SEM, Yazbeck has trained generations of chanters and performed in numerous concerts, playing a significant role in the growth and preservation of Byzantine music in...

Episode 3 of Ethos & Yphos features a conversation with Fr. Panteleimon Papadopoulos, a priest, teacher, and lifelong servant of Byzantine sacred music. Fr. Panteleimon currently serves as Proistamenos of Holy Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church in Brookville, New York. Prior to his priesthood, he spent over 20 years as an Archdeacon under both Archbishop Demetrios and Archbishop Elpidophoros o...

On Episode 2 of Ethos & Yphos, we are honored to welcome Archpriest Romanos Joubran. Fr. Romanos serves as the Director of the St. Romanos the Melodist Choir of Beirut, the Director of the Byzantine Music School at the Archdiocese of Beirut, and a Professor of Byzantine Music at both the Balamand Seminary and the Lebanese National Conservatory. In this episode, we trace Fr. Romanos’s musical j...

On this, the inaugural episode of Ethos & Yphos, we discuss the topic of Music Education in the Church with Deacon Greg Abdalah. Dn. Greg is the Pastoral Assistant at St. George Antiochian Church in Phoenix, AZ, as well as the Assistant Professor of Pastoral Theology at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, focusing in youth ministry. In this episode, Dn. Greg explores how we should ap...