{"id":282925,"date":"2020-06-18T18:47:43","date_gmt":"2020-06-18T15:47:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basilica.ro\/?p=282925"},"modified":"2020-06-18T18:47:43","modified_gmt":"2020-06-18T15:47:43","slug":"women-in-the-byzantine-music-exclusive-interview-with-presbytera-paula-cautis-conductor-of-filomelos-choir","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arhiva.basilica.ro\/en\/women-in-the-byzantine-music-exclusive-interview-with-presbytera-paula-cautis-conductor-of-filomelos-choir\/","title":{"rendered":"Women in the Byzantine music \u2013 Exclusive interview with presbytera Paula Cautis, conductor of Filomelos choir"},"content":{"rendered":"

For almost 13 years, Filomelos Byzantine Women\u2019s choir from Borze\u015fti has occupied a special place in the hearts of Byzantine music lovers.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Presbytera Paula Cauti\u015f, the conductor of the Byzantine choir, told the story of the Filomelos Choir in an interview with Basilica.ro. How it all started? How they overcame obstacles? But also, what are their plans for the future? These are only some of the questions that the presbytera accepted to answer in this exclusive interview.<\/p>\n

The Filomelos Choir is coordinated, together with presbytera Paula, by her husband, Father Petric\u0103 Cauti\u0219.<\/p>\n

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Basilica.ro: First, tell us how the story of Filomelos began. Why was this name chosen?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paula Cauti\u015f: Filomelos is a great gift from God, and its story began unexpectedly. In 2006-2007, my husband, Father Petric\u0103, a professor at the \u201cDimitrie Cantemir\u201d National College in One\u0219ti, organized a small choir, where by chance there were more girls than boys. At one point he called me to help him rehearse for Christmas carols, where I noticed that young people catch on to me much faster and since then I have remained a conductor and a special relationship quickly developed.<\/p>\n

In the summer of that year, we organized a trip together in Maramures and the next day after we returned we woke up with a group of some girls at the door asking us to teach them the Divine Liturgy and so began the rehearsals at home, in the dining room.<\/p>\n

The Mother of God is our patron Saint and the true conductor and manager of the Filomelos choir.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u2013 Paula Cauti\u015f<\/span><\/h4>\n

We started to work so that we could sing in the most distant churches, where only the priest arrives, in the most neglected parishes and isolated localities. On August 15, 2007, we chanted the first Divine Liturgy with Filomelos, so we believe that the Mother of God is our Patron Saint and the true conductor and manager of the choir.<\/p>\n

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Launch of first Filomelos CD. Photo: Filomelos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

About the name, there is a more exciting thing. Seeing that everything became much more serious, we went to the Diocese of Roman and Bac\u0103u and His Eminence Ioachim, \u00a0who was an assistant bishop at that time, asked us to write the name of the choir we want to set up.<\/p>\n

I stayed with the Father under the bell tower of the Roman Diocese ( now an Archdiocese), and this name simply came to mind: Filo \u2013 melos (lovers of music).<\/p>\n

Basilica.ro: In what fields do the members of the Byzantine choir work? We know that young women come from secular backgrounds.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paula Cauti\u015f: At the moment, many of the choir members are pupils and students. But we also have older members who work in various fields: pharmacy, public administration, education.<\/p>\n

I think that at the moment most of the girls are at the Faculty of Medicine, then the Faculty of Letters, the Academy of Economic Studies.<\/p>\n

Basilica.ro: Please tell us a moment with an emotional impact in which the Filomelos Choir was involved.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paula Cauti\u015f: We participated in many charitable actions and concerts. We chanted in nursing homes, in hospitals. Every moment is full of it spiritual load, but the one that stuck in my mind was from the winter of 2018 when we chanted in Bac\u0103u at a Divine Liturgy and in the evening we had a concert also in Bac\u0103u, but at a different church.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, we went to the Bac\u0103u Penitentiary to sing carols to the inmates there. The prison\u2019s chaplain had interceded for the female inmates to come to the chapel to listen to our Christmas carols. When we arrived, the chapel was full, and they received us with great joy, listening to us with seriousness. Still, at one point, we realized that they were all crying, with emotion, with joy, and we hardly succeeded to end the performance with an indescribable feeling.<\/p>\n

The climax of the moment was at last when we sang with them, through tears, \u201cOh, what wonderful news.\u201d All those women had relived the atmosphere at home for a few moments around the Feast of the Nativity, no matter what they had ever done.<\/p>\n

Basilica.ro: Who supported and encouraged you in the activity carried out so far. Who were the \u201cguardian angels\u201d, so to speak?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paula Cauti\u015f: The first man to whom we are deeply grateful for the support given is His Eminence Archbishop Ioachim. He supported us and continues to support us, both materially and by promoting our activity.<\/p>\n

A friend of Filomelos is the Byzantion Academic Choir, and Professor Adrian S\u00e2rbu, the conductor of this choir, is our mentor and teacher. Father Alexandru Grigora\u0219 is the one to whom the recording of the three Filomelos CDs is due.<\/p>\n

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Filomelos at Transilvania Byzantine Music Festival \u2013 Bra\u015fov. Photo: Filomelos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Others support us materially and morally, either among our parishioners or among those who come to Borze\u0219ti, being parishioners \u201cby adoption\u201d as we like to say.<\/p>\n

Basilica.ro: What do you think are the ingredients that led you to success. The Filomelos Choir gained a reputation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paula Cauti\u015f: We don\u2019t know exactly what fame Filomelos gained, we don\u2019t have a lot of feedback, but I think the main ingredient is the work doubled by conscientiousness. We strive to make things as good as possible, and this involves many sacrifices. God helped us, and we moved on, even when things seemed impossible.<\/p>\n

It takes a lot of effort, but it also needs availability from the one who wants to learn. It takes patience on the part of one who wants to teach another, temptations are many, but they must be overcome.<\/p>\n

I think that I somehow glimpse a defining aspect of our activity, the burning desire not to make artistic compromises, not to abdicate from specific values, to remain devoted to an artistic creed.<\/p>\n

Basilica.ro: Did you have moments when you were in the situation of giving up coordinating this choir? How did you overcome them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paula Cauti\u015f: There have been many challenging moments in the history of this group, and like anything beautiful and pleasing to God, it is not free from temptations. We hardly support the departure of any member, because we are attached to each of them even if we are aware that they have their future, they have their way.<\/p>\n

Over time, Filomelos was comprised of 70 members who worked in the choir, and we always had to start over with people who knew nothing about what we were doing, who needed help in understanding the divine services and the artistic requirements.<\/p>\n

Basilica.ro: In what competitions did you participate?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paula Cauti\u015f: Filomelos has a history of local and county festivals, but we have dedicated ourselves especially to missionary service in the parishes.<\/p>\n

In 2014 we participated in the metropolitan stage of the National Contest \u201cPraise the Lord\u201d, in July 2017 at the National Contest \u201cGavriil Musicescu\u201d in Iasi, in September 2019 we participated in the International Festival \u201cTransylvania Byzantine Music Festival\u201d in Brasov.<\/p>\n