What do John Denver and an Orthodox choral music choir have in common? Seemingly not very much, at least musically, and yet, when the Saint Tikhon Choir took on Denver’s famous hit “Take Me Home Country Roads,” it made a little magic.
The Saint Tikhon choir of South Canaan, Pennsylvania, is the first professional vocal ensemble connected with an Orthodox monastery in America. Begun in 2015 and heralded for its recordings and performances, its mission is “to foster and build up the American Orthodox choral tradition at the highest artistic level.”
While it’s not clear what led the choir to perform a modern American hit by the late American singer-songwriter, the range of dulcet choir tones applied to the popular country melody somehow worked. And this week was a perfect time for it to circulate on social media as many Americans “head home” or welcome others home, for the Thanksgiving holiday.
So whether or not you’re taking country roads to somewhere you belong this week, treat yourself to a listen of this fascinating blend of musical genres…
And today we celebrate...