ISC to Open Season with ISO

The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra kicks off the 2007-2008 Season with the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir on Sunday, September 9 at Hilbert Circle Theatre downtown. The show starts at 6PM and should be a good one. The choir only has a small part of the full program, as we’re singing a portion of Tchaikovsky’s famous “1812 Overture” in the traditional Russian tone “O Lord, save Thy people” (but in zee Mozzer Russian tongue, ov course). We are also doing a small excerpt of Verdi’s opera “Aida”. Check out the ISO link on the blog here for details. 

DISCLAIMER: Yes, this is a shameless plug for a concert that features yours truly-”the young, up-and-coming star tenor (quotes the NY Times) who will single-handedly steal the show and stun the audience on his way to a promising career on the opera stage”–a show which is, in my opinion, a bit on the pricey side; but hey, nobody goes to the symphony anymore so why don’t we just jack up the price so nobody can afford it anyway, right?

The Greatest Game Ever Played

If I were cool enough to have a well-thought-out and creative scheme for rating movies, I would give a somewhat lengthy exposé on this film I watched last night. Instead I’m just going to tell you why I liked it. Since I’ve taken up a somewhat recent interest in golf, it was more enjoyable from that standpoint. But do you know what I liked most about it?

Holy Dormition

Apolytikion in the First Tone

In birth, you preserved your virginity; in death, you did not abandon the world, O Theotokos. As mother of life, you departed to the source of life, delivering our souls from death by your intercessions.

Kontakion in the Second Tone

Neither the grave nor death could contain the Theotokos, the unshakable hope, ever vigilant in intercession and protection. As Mother of life, He who dwelt in the ever-virginal womb transposed her to life.

Thank God

Dark and cold we may be, but this
Is no winter now. The frozen misery
Of centuries breaks, cracks, begins to move,
The thunder is the thunder of the floes,
The thaw, the flood, the upstart Spring
Thank God our time is now when wrong
Comes up to face us everywhere,
Never to leave us till we take
The longest stride of soul men ever took.

–Christopher Fry

weekend in the woods

This past weekend, Rab and I attended a retreat with the Orthodox Young Adults (OYA) out at Camp Rotary in Crawfordsville, IN. The theme of the retreat was Repentance, and we had a few very good teachings on the subject.

In all there were twelve of us attending, seven guys and five women.