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OREGON DAYS OF CULTURE
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www.oregondaysofculture.org
| Portland Tribune & Community Newspapers |
September 26 - 28, 2012
Vocal chamber ensemble Cappella Romana performs
from Portland to Stanford to Greece
experience
HEAVENLY
By Jordy Byrd
Pamplin Media Group
It is said that when the Slavic people first
came to Constantinople—present day Istan-
bul — they were in search of the one true re-
ligion.When they experienced theworship in
Hagia Sophia — a former Orthodox patriar-
chal basilica — they knew not whether they
were in heaven or on Earth.
The Portland vocal ensem-
ble Cappella Romana aims to
give a glimpse of this heaven
on Earth with its music. Its
programs of Byzantine and re-
lated repertoire blend the
boundaries of history, religion
and culture and poke holes in-
to the very floor of heaven.
Over the last several years,
Cappella Romana has partici-
pated in Icons of Sound, a col-
laborative project between
Stanford University’s Center
for Computer Research in Mu-
sic and Acoustics and the De-
partment of Art & Art History.
This research focuses on the
interior of Hagia Sophia — built by emperor
Justinian from 532 to 537 AD — and employs
visual, textual, and musicological research,
video, architectural and acoustic models and
recording of Byzantine chants, all in an effort
to recreate the sound, look and feel of the
once great church turned museum.
“All these things work together to create
this heavenly experience,” said Mark Powell,
executive director and performer with Cap-
pella Romana. “It’s a thrill to give modern
people a glimpse of it through music.”
Columns of purple and greenmarble cover
the floor and walls at Hagia Sophia. A
crowned dome glittering in gold mosaics ris-
es 180 feet to the sky. Echoes fill the space for
more than 10 seconds and when human
chanting is performed, it is said to sound like
water splashing against the marbled walls.
Cappella Romanawas chosen for the Icons
of Sound project because it is the only vocal
ensemble in the world that performs com-
plete programs of medieval Byzantinemusic.
“In terms ofmusic selection, itmight sound
amazing, but we are really the only group
that does this,” Powell said. “Cappella Roma-
na performs a unique combination of music
from the Roman inhabited world— fromOld
Rome and Western Europe and especially
music from New Rome (Constantinople) and
its Slavic commonwealth.”
Cappella Romana will collaborate again
with the Icons of Sound project later this
year. The ensemble has also been invited
again to Stanford University, in the presti-
gious concert series Stanford Live. Cappella
Romana will performon Feb. 1 in the inaugu-
ral series in Bing Concert Hall and again on
Feb. 2 in Stanford Memorial Church.
“We will be presented in the
series along with the Kronos
Quartet and some really top
flight people,” Powell said. “It’s
a great opportunity.”
CappellaRomanawas found-
ed in 1991 by Portland-native
Alexander Lingas, who is now
senior lecturer in music at City
University in London. Formore
than 20 years, its programs
have explored the musical tra-
ditions of the Christian East
and West with emphasis on
early and contemporarymusic.
The professional ensemble
tours regularly in the United
States and Europe.
The group is drawn from a flexible roster
of PacificNorthwest singers, augmentedwith
artists from across North America and Eu-
rope, in one of two formats. One is a mixed
group of bothmen andwomen, and the other
is an all-male group of specialists in Byzan-
tine chant. Powell said by day the musicians
are singing teachers, music teachers and pro-
fessional singers who perform in solo proj-
ects and in ensembles around the country.
“The kinds of singers who put themselves
forward for our ensemble tend to have a lot of
experience singing in small groups and per-
form a lot of early music,” Powell said.
The ensemble presents its yearly concert
series in Portland and Seattle. It rehearses lo-
cally at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathe-
dral near Laurelhurst Park. Last year, Cap-
pella Romana received a grant from the Ore-
gon Cultural Trust to support its in-state
touring. The funds sponsored concerts in
Medford, Tillamook, LincolnCity andMt. An-
gel’s Abbey Bach Festival.
In addition to its regular concert series, the
ensemble will collaborate with the Portland
Baroque Orchestra this year for two virtuoso
baroque performances.
Cappella Romana also received a grant
fromUSArtists International — an organiza-
tion that sponsors American artists perform-
ing abroad. The ensemble will use the funds
onMay 17 to performat the EarlyMusic Days
festival in Regensburg, Germany.
“This is our first time performing in Ger-
many and this event is internationally known
as one of the most important earlymusic fes-
tivals in the world,” Powell said. “The festival
has never had a Byzantine-themed group
perform before. I think they thought they
were taking a bit of a risk on us.”
Whether performing at The Metropolitan
Museum of Art in NewYork, in a tiny church
on the island of Paros inGreece, or recreating
the otherworldly chants of the famed Hagia
Sophia —Cappella Romana is unique.
“There’s really no one like us,” Powell said.
“We want people to understand that this mu-
sic has the capacity tomove people in a really
deep way. It has that power.”
For more information about concert sched-
ules or to purchase recordings, visit cappel-
laromana.org or call 503-236-8202.
“we want people
to understand
that this music
has the capacity
to move people
in a really deep
way. it has the
power.”
— Mark Powell
Executive Director
Cappella Romana recorded the album
“Live in Greece: From Constantinople to
California” in this little church on the
island of Paros in Greece.
PHoto: steVe Barnett
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