On Saturday, July 26, the Synodal School of Liturgical Music completed its 34th year, with a moleben of thanksgiving in St. Seraphim Cathedral of Holy Dormition Convent "Novo Diveevo" in Nanuet, NY. In the absence of the school’s founding director, Archpriest Andre Papkov, the moleben was served by monastery cleric Priest Artem Siss, to the antiphonal singing of combined choirs of students and faculty and in the presence of His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, and convent Abbess Makaria (Fadina).

This year the school graduated five students: Reader Alexey Campbell, Elizabeth Campbell, Thomas Venkatesh, and Alison Sailor were awarded certificates as Conductors/Precentors and Olga Filatova as Precentor.

Over the course of two weeks, an international body of students from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Poland followed a rigorous program of study that included classes in music theory, sight-singing, Church Slavonic, history of Russian liturgical music, Typicon, liturgical performance practice, voice, and conducting, as well as two daily choir rehearsals. Second- and third-year students prepared, sang, and conducted services at the Holy Virgin Protection church in Nyack, NY, as well as the Icon of the Mother of God "Otrada" Chapel in Spring Valley, NY.

Highlights of this year’s session included a hierarchal Divine Liturgy on the feast of St. Olga celebrated by Metropolitan Nicholas, the school picnic, and the annual informal concert in memory of Irina Mozyleva, who led the voice class at the school for many years. Students were also given the opportunity to sing the weekend services at the Synodal Cathedral in New York City, in both the Slavonic and English choirs.

This year, as in previous years, the school benefited from the generous support of the Fund for Assistance to ROCOR. Other sponsors included the Russian Nobility Association, the Russian Ball of Washington, DC, and private individuals.