Church singing is the same art as any other vocal direction or playing one of the musical instruments. In order to master it, first of all, you need to have a hearing, and secondly, you need to have talent or a musical education, and preferably both.

Teaching church singing is impossible without knowing the musical alphabet, as well as without studying the intricacies of worship.

Church singing is not just the performance of prayers with or without music.

This concept means a whole set of knowledge that each member of the choir must acquire in the learning process in order to sing meaningfully, sensually and competently.

Learning to perform in the temple is not just notes, a program and a technique.

This is also the knowledge of the intricacies of ongoing services in the church, the study of the Old Slavonic language (it is in it that most texts are written), familiarization with prayers.

Most often, those people who already have a musical education or are endowed with an incomparable talent from God fall into the ranks of churchmen, and they are given vocals as a matter of course.

In such cases, learning to read music will not become an obstacle on the way - after all, if something is given, then the theory will apply by itself.

Recently, the issue of spirituality for Russian people has become more relevant, so there are many who want to fill up Sunday schools. We immediately draw your attention to the fact that such institutions have different starting requirements for applicants.

There are those who accept everyone, it is only important to have hearing and a sense of rhythm. They offer a short course in solfeggio and practical playing of an instrument (most often the piano). Others do not take people without a musical education (at least the appropriate school must be completed).

Choosing a place to study

Let's find out what church singing courses currently exist in Moscow, and on what conditions they accept new participants into their ranks.

• Krutitsy Compound, Church of the Resurrection of the Word. The recruitment of people aged 18 to 50 years. Students are divided into groups: those who have a musical education and those who do not. The first are trained for one year, during which the structure of the liturgy and the all-night vigil will be studied.
  For beginners, the basics of musical literacy are taught. Accept people after listening, which takes place every Sunday. Upon completion, a certificate is issued.
• Church of the Three Hierarchs in Kulishki, Regency Courses. For those wishing to enter here, three conditions must be met: musical education, the blessing of the confessor and a year's practice of participating in the choir.
• School of Church Singing at the Orthodox Center "Life-Giving Spring". The organization was founded in 2004 and is dedicated to teaching adults of all skill levels. You can get the necessary skills here for free, and at the end of the course a certificate is issued.

Note! The peculiarity of church singing is that it can be both polyphonic (polyphonic) and monophonic (unison). The first option has to do with the Russian Orthodox Church.
All services in our culture are held against the backdrop of a choir who sings three or four parts at the same time.

In the Western branch of Orthodox Christianity, that is, in the Byzantine and Greek churches, unison singing is more common. Courses of performance in the Byzantine manner, that is, in unison, can be taken at the School of Byzantine chanting. Located in the building of the publishing council of the Russian Orthodox Church on the 4th floor.

Education here lasts from one to three years, depending on the starting preparation of the applicant. It offers free education in church singing, as well as the study of the basics of musical literacy and the Greek church style.

It should be noted that the principle of singing according to the Byzantine pattern is fundamentally different from the Russian one. The difference lies not only in unison and lack of polyphony, but also in the lyrics themselves, as well as in the music. In Moscow, this is the only place where names are taught in this manner of church chanting.

Briefly about the training program

Learning to sing prayers on your own is difficult, especially without the required musical training. Those who graduated from a music school, undoubtedly, find it easier - all that remains is to train their voice, “undermine” it for singing for Divine services and learn the language in which the repertoire will be performed.

The program, according to which a concise training in singing on the kliros and in the choir should take place:

For beginners, the simplest texts of prayers are offered, consisting of several phrases that are repeated to various musical motives.

The basis of teaching this art is the so-called school of church singing called osmosis. The bottom line is that eight modes sound simultaneously in prayer, each of which has its own part. The general sound turns out to be special and is associated in people exclusively with theological motives.

In order to master the osmosis perfectly, it is necessary:

• Correctly determine your timbre and voice height. Most people have a second soprano (medium timbre), altos are more characteristic of men, rare women sing at the height of the first soprano.
• At the initial stages, listen to the "leaders" of the church choir.
• Try to keep your part during the performance of works, and not “swim” between voices.
• Always highlight your part in the overall score and know it clearly.

Interesting to know! In many music schools for children who attend not only individual instrument lessons, but also a choir club, there is a program for studying church hymns. It is these works that are the best exercise for the voice.

The most talented students of church singing schools can be trained to sing on the kliros. Kliros is a hill in any temple that has a mirror structure - it is located to the right and left of the altar. On the right side of the kliros there are professional choristers, and on the left - amateurs.

In order to perform at the services, you should regularly train and be able not only to keep your part in the choir, but also to perform it with feeling, quality and expressiveness.

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Summing up

Sunday School can be your first step in the science of church singing. In it you can get invaluable knowledge in the field of spirituality, as well as learn a lot about music and its components.

Such institutions help to learn the most holy language - Old Slavonic, as well as to “stretch” your voice the way you stretch your muscles in the gym. There are many schools of church singing, both in Moscow and in other Russian cities. Choose the one you like and go there for new experiences.

Faculty of church singing opens annual set Regency courses.
The course program is designed for people who want to get the initial skills of the head of the church choir, the conductor.
Training is conducted under the guidance of experienced choir directors, teachers of the Faculty of Church Singing in the following disciplines: church choral routine (osmosis), liturgical charter, solfeggio, regency, work with the choir.
For those who wish, individual lessons in conducting and voice production can be organized.
Upon completion of the course, a certificate of course completion is issued.
Training is paid.

Also Faculty of Church singing continues enrollment for biennial Singing courses.
The course program is designed for people who want to get the initial skills of a church chanter and psalmist for the subsequent carrying out of the corresponding choir obedience or for further higher education at the Faculty of Church Singing of PSTGU.
Training is conducted under the guidance of experienced teachers of the faculty in the following disciplines: everyday church singing, liturgical reading, liturgical charter, solfeggio, music theory, voice training, vocal ensemble, the Law of God.
Individual piano lessons can be arranged for those who wish.
Upon completion of training, a corresponding certificate is issued.
Training is paid.

Classes are held in the center, 3 times a week in the evening
There is an audition before the start of the class.

In 1999, the two-year Choir and Regency Courses at the Sunday School of the Church of the Nine Martyrs of Cyzic were organized.

Initially, they were only singing courses, based at the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Tushino, where the rector of the temple was Father Fyodor Sokolov, who blessed the creation of these courses. Due to circumstances, in 2001, the singing school found shelter in the Zachatievsky Monastery, where it existed until 2012. Since 2012, classes have been held at the Sunday school at the Church of the Nine Martyrs of Kizichesky.

One of the reasons for organizing the courses was a large influx of people to churches in the 90s, many of whom asked the question, where can one learn church singing? St. Patriarch Alexy II has repeatedly expressed his desire to create at the temple not only Sunday schools for children, but also various missionary courses for adults. Therefore, our courses from the very first steps set the task not only to teach the coming people the everyday life of church singing, but also carried out direct missionary work among the students. To this end, the following subjects were introduced into the curriculum:

1. Law of God (New and Old Testament)
2. Liturgy (the study of the basics of worship)
3. Everyday life of church singing (study of osmoglas and hymns of the liturgy and all-night vigil)
4. Solfeggio

Currently, the above subjects have been supplemented with vocal classes (optional) and conducting a church choir.

All classes are conducted by teachers with extensive experience, having a musical education and a great practice of singing and regenting in church choirs.

The term of training in singing courses is 2 years.

But, as practice has shown, during this time students get acquainted only with the first basics of church singing. Therefore, those who have proven themselves well and, according to the results of the tests, can study for another third year and have a small practice of singing on weekdays in the Church of the Nine Martyrs of Kiziche. The most successful, capable and willing can begin to study the business of regency. The term of study at the regency department is 1 year.

Our graduates work in the churches of Moscow and the region: the church of St. vmch. Panteleimon (at the hospital of the Ministry of Railways), the church of St. Luke Krymsky (Tushino), the Church of the Ascension of the Lord outside the Serpukhov Gates, the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh (Tushino), the Church of the Grebnevskaya Icon of the Mother of God in the village of Grebnevo, etc.

Of course, not everyone who completes the courses can position themselves as ready-made singers even for weekdays, a lot depends on the student's musical abilities, his diligence and desire to learn. The time of studying at the courses is a time of very, very great work.

Group classes are held in the evening from 18:00 to 21:00. For 1 year of study - Monday, Tuesday; 2nd year - Monday, Wednesday. For those who want to get more in-depth knowledge, there are optional classes in solfeggio and vocals, which can be in the first half of the day, by agreement with the teacher.

In order to enroll in our singing-regency course, you need to come to the Sunday School building on the first two Sundays of September by 13:30 for an audition. You will have to sing something: you can sing something from church hymns, you can a Russian song, a secular song - the main thing is that you show your musical abilities: ear, rhythm, musical memory, voice. And, if your abilities meet our requirements, then you will be enrolled in the courses.

God help you!