My Apprenticeship as a Cantor
St. Mary’s Manville, NJ
Home Parish
Birth-1983
Mentor-George Kostraba
- Congregational singing
- Sang with cantors
- Was taught to sing epistle
- Trained altar boys
- Cantor substitute
SS Cyril & Methodius Seminary Pittsburgh, PA
Seminarian
9/81-5/83 (2 academic years)
- Voice Culture & Choir
- Church Slavonic
- Chant Education
- Cantor rotation at services
Holy Ghost Mckees Rocks, PA
Lector & Cantor
9/83-present
Mentor-John Skreptach
- Joined parish after seminary experience
- Invited as lector and cantor in training
- Primary cantor since 2000
Advanced Cantor’s Institute
Student
9/84-5/86 (2 academic years)
- Weekly sessions under Jerry Jumba & Fr. Alexis Mihalik
Metropolitan Cantors Institute
Diploma in Church Music (2006)(Program)
9/98-3/2005 (7 academic years)
1998-2000 Priests Committee (2 years)
2000- J. Michael Thompson (5 years)
- Four Saturday sessions per year
- Sessions on Music Theory, liturgics, voice & chant practicum
- Seminary course work in scripture and liturgy
Music Instrument Training
- Violin lessons in Middle School
- Guitar in middle school
- CCAC Piano I continuing education session (summer 2000)
Education
Duquesne University/SS Cyril & Methodius Seminary
- Master of Arts, Theology, scripture concentration
(Program)
Point Park College
- Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology, Electronics Concentration
(Program)
Duquesne University
- 83 Credits dual major in Philosophy & Communications
(Transferred to Engineering at Point Park)
