Byzantine Catholic Seminary of Saints Cyril and Methodius · Courses
LC
14 courses with the subject LC, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
LC 100INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC
In this course students study the basic symbols of music. Students are given the tools to be able to sing, write, and perform single-line musical notation. Students will be able to apply sight-singing and good vocal technique to the chant repertoire of the Byzantine Catholic Church. Students will become proficient in their: • Ability to recognize fundamental music symbols and their applications (staff, note values, rest values, flats, sharps, tempo, articulations, and dynamics). • Ability to recognize and sing intervals (unisons, 2nds, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, 7ths and octaves). • Ability to recognize and sing a major scale, a minor scale and a chromatic scale • Ability to name the key (tonal center) of a song. • Ability to apply the syllables of solfege (do, re, mi…) to sight-sing a song. 2 hours; 1 semester
Studies of particular themes, periods or texts in liturgical chant may be offered as electives of 1, 2, or 3 credits depending on enrollment, students’ needs and interests, faculty availability and approval of the Dean.
LC 501M(MELKITE): LITURGICAL CHANT I – DIVINE LITURGY
Using the basic skills developed in Introduction to Music (LC 100), Chant I begins the study of Chant in the Byzantine Catholic Church with the singing of Divine Liturgies and the eight Resurrection tones. Students will be prepared to cantor the traditional melodies of the Divine Liturgies as well as the chanting of the epistle in the Byzantine Catholic Church. Students will become proficient in the following: 56 B.C.S. Academic Catalog – FINAL February 12, 2025
LC 501R(RUTHENIAN): LITURGICAL CHANT I – DIVINE LITURGY
Using the basic skills developed in Introduction to Music (LC 100), Chant I begins the study of Chant in the Byzantine Catholic Church with the singing of Divine Liturgies and the eight Resurrection tones. Students will be prepared to cantor the traditional melodies of the Divine Liturgies as well as the chanting of the epistle in the Byzantine Catholic Church. Students will become proficient in the following: • Ability to sing all 8 Resurrection Tones with correct pitch and good diction (Troparion, Kontakion, Prokeimenon and Alleluia for each). • Ability to sing, without accompaniment, the responses of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom with correct pitch and good diction. • Ability to sing, without accompaniment, the responses of the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great with correct pitch and good diction. • Ability to chant the Epistle reading with correct pitch, good diction and good vocal projection. • Ability to chant the psalm verse using the correct pitch(es). 1 hour; 1 semester (Pass/Fail)
Chant study continues with the preparation for singing the responses for the services of Matins /Orthros and Vespers. All eight tones will be studied. The Liturgy of the Hours and The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts will be studied using the traditional melodies of the Byzantine rite. Students will become proficient in the following: • Ability to sing The Lamplighting Psalms in all 8 tones with correct pitch and good diction. • Ability to sing The Lord is God and Let Everything that has Breath in all 8 tones with correct pitch and good diction. • Ability to sing the responses for the service of Vespers with correct pitch and good diction. • Ability to sing the responses for the service of Matins with correct pitch and good diction. 1 hour; 1 semester (Pass/Fail) 57 B.C.S. Academic Catalog – FINAL February 12, 2025
Chant study continues with the preparation for singing the responses for the services of Matins /Orthros and Vespers. All eight tones will be studied. The Liturgy of the Hours and The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts will be studied using the traditional melodies of the Byzantine rite. Students will become proficient in the following: • Ability to sing all 8 Samohlasen Tones with correct pitch and good diction. • Ability to sing, without accompaniment, the responses for the service of Vespers. • Ability to sing, without accompaniment, the responses for the service of Matins. • Ability to sing, without accompaniment, the responses for the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. 1 hour; 1 semester (Pass/Fail)
Chant III continues the study of singing the traditional melodies of the Byzantine Catholic Church. Students will learn to chant the responses of the Occasional Services. These include: The Celebrations of the Holy Mysteries, Liturgical services for the Great Fast and Pascha, Compline, and The Services of Burial. Students will gain the ability to sing, without accompaniment, the Cantor’s, the Deacon’s and the Priest’s parts for: • Hajme-Orthros-Divine Liturgy Great and Holy Pascha. • The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. • Orthros for Holy Friday. • The Epitaphios Service Great and Holy Friday Evening. • The Ceremony of Crowning (Marriage). • The Office of Christian Burial (Funeral). 1 hour; 1 semester (Pass/Fail)
Chant III continues the study of singing the traditional melodies of the Byzantine Catholic Church. Students will learn to chant the responses of the Occasional Services. These include: The Celebrations of the Holy Mysteries, Liturgical services for the Great Fast and Pascha, Compline, and The Services of Burial. Students will gain the ability to sing, without accompaniment, the Cantor’s, the Deacon’s and the Priest’s parts for: • The Ceremony of Crowning (Marriage). • The Office of Christian Burial (Funeral), Parastas and Panachida. • Great and Holy Friday Strasti (12 Gospels) and Great and Holy Friday Vespers. • Holy Saturday Vespers. • Resurrection Matins. 1 hour; 1 semester (Pass/Fail)
Each student will study the technical aspects of vocal production including breath control, tone production, intonation and diction using both the Byzantine Chant and selected repertoire. According to the needs of each student, the lesson will prepare them to cantor any services that they have been assigned. Students will be expected, to the best of their abilities, to employ in the following skills for successful completion of Vocal Technique: • Ability to sing, using correct breathing and vocal projection. • Ability to sing using correct pitch and a relaxed tone. • Ability to sing using good diction and correct phrasing. • Ability to interpret the music and words to sing with understanding. 58 B.C.S. Academic Catalog – FINAL February 12, 2025
