Male Choir ”St. Hierarch Iosif Naniescu”

The male choir of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology from Iasi was founded in 2008. In April 2009, with the blessing of the Most Reverend Teofan, Archbishop of Iasi and Metropolitan of Moldavia and Bukovina, the choir received the name of the recently canonized Saint Hierarch, Metropolitan Iosif Naniescu. The Metropolitan Iosif Naniescu was himself a great performer and composer of psaltic music, and also an absolute supporter of choral music (many voices). During his years of administration and guidance, the Choir of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Iasi has reached its interpretative peaks under the tutoring of the renowned composer, conductor and teacher, Gavriil Musicescu.   

Choral experience: 

- Concert tour of church music and carols in Portugal (7-13 December 2010, Lisbon, Setubal, Santarem, the Romanian Cultural Institute of Lisbon);

- Frequent participations into various concerts of church music organised by the Metropolitan Diocese of Moldavia and Bukovina, the Centre for Byzantine Studies of Iasi, Iasi County Council, Iasi City Hall, various associations like ASCOR Iasi, the Student League USAMV Iasi, ASFI, ASALT etc., and also in the Doctor Honoris Causa prize awarding ceremonies, organised by “Al. I. Cuza” University of Iasi; 

- Recordings and edits of discs with church music: “Anniversary CD at five years of activity” (2013), “Sacrifice of Praise” (2017) and “Eucharistic Offering” (2018);

- Responses at Divine Liturgies in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Iasi;
- Concerts at the end of the university year, carol concerts etc., organized by the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of Iasi;

- some notable results in musical competitions in the country and abroad: 1^st Prize (2014) and the 3^rd Prize (2016) at the International Festival-Contest for Young Chorus Gavriil Musicescu (Iasi), Contest-Section: “Music and Theology Faculties Chorus”; the Grand Prize at the Festival-Contest of Church Music “Praise the God”, ninth edition, Contest-Section: “University Choirs”, Bucharest, 27 October 2016; the Grand Prix at the Music Competition Festival in Hajnowka (Poland), May 2017. 

Fr. Ionuț-Gabriel Nastasă

Father Ionuț-Gabriel Nastasă is a lecturer at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology within “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi. He pursued theological (bachelor, master and doctorate) and also musical studies (bachelor's degree in “Conducted Academic Choir”). His activity concerns both the research of church music and its performing, aspects highlighted by publishing various books, studies and articles, by participating in national and international conferences, as well as by establishing and conducting male, female or mixed choirs (at the Theological Seminary near Neamț Monastery - male choir, at the “Assumption of the Mother of God” Church in Târgu Neamț - four mixed voices, at the “St. Nicholas” Church in Popricani, Iasi County - 3 equal voices for women, the “St. Hierarch Iosif Naniescu” Male Choir of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of Iasi, the male choir of priests from the Iasi Protopopiate 2, the “Universitas” mixed choir of “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iasi). 

He is assisted by the talented third year student to Pastoral Section, Alexandru Semeniuc, an evident passionate of composition, conducting art and musical performance.