Last weekend, February 5-8 2026, five of us from St. Brendan’s Orthodox Church had the chance to attend the Southwest Choral Symposium. Hosted at Christ the Savior Orthodox Church and supported by instructors from the Synodal School of Liturgical Music, the symposium brought together singers from across the region for three days of study, prayer, and beautiful liturgical music. The days were full of rehearsals, breakout sessions, lectures, and services, but it was the good kind of full—it leaves you tired in the best way and grateful for the experience.

We spent the weekend learning from skilled instructors and sang with people from all over the region. For our small mission parish, the experience was both humbling and energizing. We sang alongside more than seventy participants, many from parishes much larger than ours. The instructors emphasized that even a small choir like ours can sing well when grounded in good technique and have a clear understanding of the liturgical tradition.

All five of us came away with the same realization: our little mission really does need more regular choir training. Not because we’re doing anything “wrong,” but because we now see how much beauty and depth there is to learn—and how much it can strengthen our worship.

We had a genuinely good time together. It was uplifting and educational, and it reminded us how important the choir ministry is for the life of St. Brendan’s.