The special guest who honors us for the fourth time with his presence in the greatest event dedicated exclusively to Psaltic Art in Romania is Master Panagiotis Neochoritis, Archon Protopsaltis of the Great Church of Christ (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople).
A complex and fascinating personality, the epitome of a Teacher who brings together dedication and perseverance, knowledge and inspiration, sobriety and splendor, he manages to challenge through his own profound and spiritual vision on Psaltic Art. This year’s edition proposes a new format designed to further raise the high standards at which these intensive courses take place. Thus, practical examples will be approached primarily with the advanced level students with whom Master Neochoritis will work, in an applied manner, on various classical works, and the debates around this workshop will be an invitation to dialogue addressed to all participants.
The topic chosen by him this year, The Interpretation of a Psaltic Work. Challenges and practical solutions, deepens topics addressed in previous editions. The practical courses, carried out within a genuine ecclesiastic space, with students divided in the right hand choir and the left hand choir of chanters, will be precious moments during which the well-known Protopsaltis will share with MBC participants the most important advice regarding the interpretation of psaltic chants and its liturgical application, repertoire selection according to the context, and the hierarchy, organization and proper functioning of Psaltes in a lectern choir.
Adrian Sirbu
Protopsaltis Panagiotis Neochoritis
Panagiotis Neochoritis was born in 1971 in Kavala (Greece). He is the son of the priest Charalambos Neochoritis, who was also his first music teacher. He continued his apprenticeship with Mathaios Tsamkiranis and later in Thessaloniki, with Eleftherios Georgiadis.
He has been a psaltis in many churches in northern Greece, including “Saint Nicholas Kavala” Church (1987-1991), the “Holy Protection” Metropolitan Cathedral of Edessa (1996-2000), “St. George” Cathedral of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Neapolis, Thessaloniki, and since 2017 he has been the Archon Protopsaltis of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
In 1996 he founded the “Saint Roman the Melodist” Musical Association in Thessaloniki, whose president he is until today and within which he has had an impressive activity. He is an interpreter and researcher of traditional folk music in Constantinople and Thessaloniki.
Panagiotis Neochoritis is one of the most authentic psaltes from the new generation, with a broad and robust vocal timbre, endowed with excellent vocal skills and extensive knowledge of the history of Byzantine music.
